Mets Outlast Nationals in Epic 12-Inning Thriller

METS 6 - NATIONALS 5 
12 INNINGS 

It's only eight games, and a little over a week into the regular season, but the New York Mets made a major statement to all of Major League Baseball this weekend. The statement is as simple as it is direct: "We are for real, and we are here to stay."

Snicker and say it's only April, but the Mets are 7-1 and are winning games with the kind of zeal and resolve that we see from teams who have serious plans in mind.

Yes, again, it's only April -- but the Mets not only won a game that looked lost at several points on Sunday night, they swept the Washington Nationals in their own ballpark. They leave D.C. with a 3.5 game lead on Washington, something nobody thought would happen this year for a Mets team was only expected to be competitive, and a Nationals team that was expected to run away with its own division.

In the end the Nationals may still win the NL East, and may still make serious noise in October, but on this night it -- the here and now -- it is all about the Mets.

Trailing 2-0 after Bryce Harper crushed a Matt Harvey fastball deep into the bleachers in right, the Mets never gave in. They didn't pack their belongings, thinking 'oh well, it's getaway day in D.C., we got the series.' No sir, the Mets came right back -- a formula that is becoming common place for Mickey Callaway's ball club.

In the top of the third inning with two out, Jay bruce, Todd Fairer and Asdrubal Cabrera all walked against Washington starter Tanner Roark. In frustration, Rorark left a hanging fastball over the plate to Adrian Gonzalez, that the veteran slugger turned on and destroyed, blasting it into the bullpens in right field for a grand slam homer. It was the Mets second grand slam of the series, and it gave the Mets a 4-2 lead.

Matt Harvey was good, not great, as he walked a tightrope for five innings. He gave up a RBI double to Severino in the bottom of the fourth that cut the Mets lead to 4-3. The tension mounted when Harvey couldn't grab a hold of bouncer from Rorark leading to an error. Finally, Adam Eaton dove in front of a Harvey fastball to load the bases.

With Harper looming on deck and certain doom starring him in the face, Harvey found a way to get Anthony Rendon to fly out to left to get out of the jam.

Moments later, the Mets gave their former ace some much needed run support when Cabrera sent one into the seats in right for his first solo home run of the year. But, even with that, Havery remained on a tightrope in the fifth inning.

Fortunately for him and the Mets, the Nationals were willing to run themselves into outs, such as Howie Kendrick grounding into a killer double play, and Trea Turner getting caught between third and home on a ground ball by Michael Taylor in the bottom of the fifth.

The tension would remain for the rest of the game, even as the Nationals tied things up at five in the bottom of the seventh inning.

However, it was the decision making of Mickey Callaway in the ninth inning that really determined this ball game. With Seth Lugo on the hill and Bryce Harper standing on third, the Mets decided to intentionally walk Howie Kendrick and Trea Turner to load the bases with only one out.

Callaway was going by the books, which showed him that Michael Taylor was 1-for-8 against Lugo in his career. He rolled the dice and came up gold, as Lugo struck out Taylor swinging for the second out. Against Pedro Severino, a novice in this spot, Lugo struck him out looking on three pitches to get out of the inning.

For Callaway to show that kind of faith in his players is a testament to his understanding of the moment. Having that ability doesn't come without risk, and so far, Callaway is coming out successful in each try.

The game would continue to be a seesaw affair until the 12th inning when the Mets finally broke through. Juan Lagares started things off with a single to shallow center. Amed Rosario bunted him over on a perfectly executed bunt, and Yoenis Cespedes did the rest, delivering the game winning RBI single to left-center to drive in Lagares.

The Mets closed the game out with rookie Jacob Rhame who settled in nicely to earn his first major league save, while sending the Mets to a 7-1 start.

The 7-1 start ties the Mets and Callaway with Joe Torre, who started the 1977 season at 7-1 through his first eight games. Hopefully for the Mets this is just the beginning of something special.