No drama this time: Mets drop Nats, 8-4, take series

There would be no historic ninth-inning comeback Wednesday afternoon, as the New York Mets closed out the Washington Nationals in an 8-4 win.

The Mets (71-68) kept their dimming playoff chances alive by getting to Nats starter Anibal Sanchez (8-7, 4.11 ERA), who was touched for seven runs on eight hits, three of them homers, in five innings of work.

The loss was the first for Sanchez dating back to May 10.

Anthony Rendon had two hits and two RBI, raising his season total to 114, for Washington (78-60), which drops a half-game to idle Atlanta and now trails the Braves (86-54) by seven games in the NL East.

The two teams commence a four-game series in Atlanta on Thursday. Stephen Strasburg (16-5, 3.47 ERA) gets the ball for the Nationals, facing Max Fried (15-4, 4.05 ERA).

Story by Chris Graham