WASHINGTON _ When Rick Porcello first took the mound on Wednesday, he already had a one-run lead courtesy of his teammates. This seemed to be the ideal situation for a pitcher whose Mets tenure hasn't gone the way he's wanted to this point.
Minutes later, Porcello had already allowed two doubles in the inning. Tie game.
Mets fans might have thought: Uh oh.
Over the next couple hours, Porcello put together his best start of the season _ by far. Had he not been as sharp, as clean, as good, the Mets probably would have lost again here at Nationals Park.
Instead, the Mets (5-8) beat Washington, 3-1, as Porcello earned his 150th career win.
Nationals ace Max Scherzer left the game after the first inning. It wasn't immediately clear why. He allowed one earned run on one hit and a walk.
Porcello powered the Mets with seven innings of one-run baseball. He only allowed five hits. He struck out four and, perhaps more important, did not allow a walk, fixing an issue he had in his prior two starts.
His Mets debut against Atlanta: Two innings, seven runs (six earned), three walks.
His next start, also against Atlanta: Four innings, four runs (three earned), three walks.
In those games, he did not give his team much of a chance to win. Those performances were not what the Mets expected when they signed Porcello to a one-year deal over the offseason.
Porcello, who is calm but candid, vowed to put in the work to fix his issues.
On Wednesday, he looked much better.
He even threw great pitches on the two first-inning doubles he allowed. To Adam Eaton, a left-handed hitter, Porcello threw a 92-mph sinker middle and inside. It probably would have been a ball had Eaton not swung. Juan Soto hit a change-up that was down and away _ a good pitch _ to drive in a run.
Even so, Porcello never let it get to him. He cruised through the next six frames, handing his bullpen a lead.
If this Porcello shows up consistently, the Mets' rotation will become much better.
In the fourth inning, with the Mets up a run, Michael Conforto fielded a single in right field and gunned down a runner at third.
On the next play, J.D. Davis made a diving stop at third and threw out the runner from his knees.
The Mets have been shaky defensively this season, but this sequence was something else. Had it not occurred, the Nationals would have tied the game.
All night, the Mets were crisp defensively. They made numerous slick plays in the infield, and their outfielders were not exposed.
It might not be a surprise, given that Andres Gimenez (shortstop) and Luis Guillorme (second base) started in place of the injured Amed Rosario and Robinson Cano.
Everywhere in the field, the Mets were sharp defensively.
When Yoenis Cespedes opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19-related seasons, Dominic Smith's playing time immediately increased.
He's been good all season, but the Mets struggled to get him consistent playing time.
He now has that, and he's making the most of it.
As the designated hitter on Wednesday, he drove in two of the team's three runs. In the first inning, he got the Mets on the board with a sacrifice fly. In the seventh, he provided them an insurance run with a double off the wall.
He should have plenty more opportunities, too.
