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Nationals 4, Mets 3: Nationals Lose Yunel Escobar, but Beat Mets’ Bullpen

WASHINGTON — Just standing there on the mound, Noah Syndergaard looked intimidating enough, staring down Yunel Escobar. Then he wound up his 240-pound frame, cocked his massive forearm, and fired a 96-mile-an-hour fastball toward the plate.

The Mets had talked at length about how important it was to win this series against the Nationals, the team they are chasing in the National League East. This was the biggest start of Syndergaard’s rookie year to date, the rubber game of a three-game set, and he wanted to make an impression.

As the fastball trailed inside off target, Escobar swung awkwardly, cried out and let the bat fly out of his hands.