MLB

Zack Wheeler, Mets shut down Nationals

WASHINGTON — Zack Wheeler was on his way to becoming toast Tuesday night when he suddenly rediscovered his love for the strike zone.

Somehow, the Mets right-hander not only survived, but stuck around for 6 ²/₃ innings — long enough for his beleaguered lineup to create a ruckus against the Nationals.

Though not pretty for Wheeler or the Mets, all that mattered was the 6-1 victory at Nationals Park that snapped a two-game skid.

“It wasn’t very fun, but you’ve got to find a way to do it,” said Wheeler, who walked four batters in the first three innings before recovering. “I didn’t have my curveball, and that usually is a big pitch for me.”

The Mets (54-59) hadn’t scored as many as five runs in a game since Wheeler’s previous start, against the Phillies last Wednesday.

This latest victory helped the Mets forget the torment the Giants put on their lineup in winning three of four games at Citi Field in their previous series.

Before Tuesday’s game, manager Terry Collins said it wasn’t crucial for his team to sweep this three-game series. The Mets are seven games behind the NL East-leading Nationals.

“You would like to [sweep], but you better worry about winning two out of three, because they’re pretty good,” Collins said. “You come in here and we’ve got them six times in the next 10 days, so we’ve got to make the most of it if we expect to get back in this race.”

Wheeler (7-8) walked four but allowed only one run, thanks partly to two defensive gems. One came on Eric Campbell’s throw home from left field that nailed Jayson Werth in the sixth. An inning later, Juan Lagares made a diving catch in center to steal an RBI single from Denard Span.

“Last year when we started playing well it was because we caught the ball,” Collins said. “When you have good pitching and you catch the ball, it’s tough to score and our defense played real well tonight.”

Wheeler made it seven straight starts in which he lasted at least six innings and allowed two earned runs or fewer. Over that stretch, he is 4-0 with a 1.59 ERA. He has not lost since the Athletics punished him for six runs over two innings on June 25.

“This kid has really gotten better,” Collins said. “As he continues to improve, the sky is the limit.”

Daniel Murphy’s two-RBI single was the highlight of a seventh inning in which the Mets scored three runs to take a 5-1 lead.

Lagares was plunked by reliever Drew Storen to load the bases before Murphy hit a sharp grounder off second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera’s glove for two runs. Lucas Duda’s single later in the inning brought in another run.

Chris Young’s leadoff walk against Gio Gonzalez began the rally before Ruben Tejada singled and Wheeler moved the runners with a bunt. Gonzalez (6-8) lasted six-plus innings and allowed four earned runs on six hits and two walks with six strikeouts.

The Nationals, trailing 2-1, appeared on the verge of knocking out Wheeler in the third, after he surrendered consecutive singles to Span and Anthony Rendon leading off the inning. But Werth hit into a double play to subdue the rally.

Wheeler was fortunate to escape the second with only a run scoring to pull the Nationals within 2-1. The right-hander’s big break in the inning came when Jose Lobaton hit a grounder that struck Cabrera between second and third for an out. Desmond, by rule, returned to third base and Wheeler retired the pitcher Gonzalez to end the threat.

Wheeler was fine with the final result of his performance, but not the process.

“I would rather go out there and throw strikes and get people out a little faster,” he said.