Nationals 9, Mets 6: James Wood's Inside-the-Park Slam Sparks Nine-Run Rally in D.C.

The lead

May 19, 2026 - Washington, D.C. - The Washington Nationals erased a 5-0 deficit with nine unanswered runs and beat the New York Mets 9-6 at Nationals Park, sparked by James Wood's inside-the-park grand slam—the majors' first since 2022 and only the ninth since 1994, per TSN and Yahoo Sports.

The game began with a 46-minute rain delay before Bo Bichette homered twice in the first two innings off Foster Griffin, staking New York to a 5-0 lead. Wood's 379-foot drive to deep left with the bases loaded and two outs in the second cut the gap to one, and Washington kept scoring through the third and fourth—including unearned runs after errors by Marcus Semien and Luis Torrens.

How the game turned

José Tena homered to tie the game, CJ Abrams scored on a passed ball, and Jorbit Vivas added a sacrifice fly as the Nationals surged ahead 7-5. Juan Soto homered for the Mets in the seventh, but Washington's early avalanche held.

Wood's slam was the Nationals' second inside-the-park grand slam since the franchise moved to Washington in 2005, TSN noted. Bichette finished 2-for-4 with four RBI on the losing side.

Pitching and matchup notes

Griffin absorbed the early damage before the bullpen faced a lineup that would not stop scoring. New York's four errors in the fourth compounded the collapse.

AthX Engine graded Wood at 12 hitting FP and Washington at 15 team FP—matching Atlanta and St. Louis on the Tuesday club board—while Bichette still posted 12 hitting FP in defeat.

Bats that changed the board

Inside-the-park grand slams are rare for a reason: Wood's sprint and the ball's path changed the game's temperature instantly. Washington's unearned runs in the fourth punished sloppy Mets defense.

AthX Engine fantasy angle

High-event games with homers and errors can lift team FP and individual hitters on both sides—AthX Engine captured Wood and Bichette without requiring a blowout win margin. Daily scoring stays distinct from dynamic pricing.

What comes next

The Nationals carry momentum into the next game of the series after Monday's extra-inning marathon; the Mets must clean up defense and middle-inning pitching to avoid another early hole.

*Sources: MLB.com schedule, MLB gameday wrap, TSN recap, Yahoo Sports, ESPN box score, AthX Engine scoring. Information only; not financial advice.*