New York Mets get Sean Doolittle again, beat Washington Nationals 7-6 on a walk-off single by Michael Conforto...

Marcus Stroman and Stephen Strasburg gave up three runs each in the fourth, and it was tied at 3-3 in the series opener between the Washington Nationals and New York Mets for the next two innings, but Anthony Rendon hit a two-run home run off Justin Wilson in the top of the seventh to make it 5-3 and the Nationals added a run in the top of the ninth, 6-3.

Sean Doolittle came on in the ninth, looking for the save, and gave up three straight hits, with the third a game-tying, three-run blast by Todd Frazier, 6-6, and Michael Conforto’s two-out single to right won it for the Mets, who made 14 wins in their last 15 games, 7-6 final.

Strasburg vs the Mets: Stephen Strasburg gave up more earned runs last time out (9) than he surrendered in his previous six outings (8). He also had a seven-start win streak snapped in his outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The three home runs the Nationals’ 30-year-old right-hander allowed in 4 ¹⁄₃ innings against the D-Backs, came after he gave up just one in a total of 44 ²⁄₃ IP over the unbeaten streak which preceded his outing in Chase Field.

“I think games like this when you get knocked around,” Strasburg said, as quoted by MASN’s Mark Zuckerman after the rough outing, “you always try and look at the positives, and ways to improve. And I think I’ve figured that one out.”

“I can’t really be too frustrated by it, but I do know I have to go out there and be better next time.”

Strasburg retired the first nine batters he faced tonight, before giving up a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fourth, after the Nats jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the inning, and Pete Alonso went down for a 1-0 changeup with two out and hit it out to left field for a two-run blast that made it a one-run game, 3-2. Alonso’s 38th(!) of 2019.

J.D. Davis went back-to-back with Alonso five pitches later, tying it up with a solo bomb to right that landed in the upper deck, 3-3.

Strasburg retired the side in order in the fifth, striking out two, then struck out with the bases loaded and two out in the top of the sixth, before returning to the mound in the bottom of the inning and giving up back-to-back singles by Amed Rosario and Michael Conforto, that put runners on first and third with no one out... but a line drive to second, and a strikeout followed, and with runners on second and third, Wilson Ramos grounded out to end the threat. Still 3-3.

Strasburg returned to the mound in the bottom of the seventh and retired the Mets in order in a nine-pitch frame that left him at 97 pitches total. That was it for Stras...

Stephen Strasburg’s Line: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 Ks, 2 HRs, 97 P, 62 S, 7/3 GO/FO.

Stroman vs the Nationals: The Washington Nationals selected Marcus Stroman out of Patchogue-Medford High School in Medford, NY in the 18th Round of the 2009 Draft, but the right-hander didn’t sign with the Nats, and three years at Duke University later, Stroman went 22nd overall to the Toronto Blue Jays, in the first round of the 2012 Draft.

After six seasons in the Jays’ rotation, the 28-year-old starter returned to New York before the Trade Deadline, with the Mets acquiring Stroman in one of the more surprising deals that went down.

Stroman gave up seven hits, two walks, and three earned runs in his debut in NY’s rotation last week.

Start No. 2 for the Mets began with the righty striking out seven of the first 10 hitters he faced in three scoreless innings, matching his previous season-high for strikeouts.

The fourth didn’t start well for Stroman, however, with Adam Eaton singling to right field and scoring on an RBI triple to right-center by Anthony Rendon, who scored in the next at bat, when Juan Soto hit a 1-0 cutter out to right-center for a two-run blast and a 3-0 lead. Soto’s 22nd of 2019.

It was 3-3 after four, as the Mets rallied to tie it, and Stroman stranded two in a 22-pitch top of the fifth that left him at 86 total on the night.

Juan Soto doubled to start the sixth and took third on a single by Matt Adams, stopping at third when he probably could have scored as the Mets collected the ball which got by Pete Alonso at first and was bobbled by second baseman Joe Panik.

Kurt Suzuki stepped in next with runners on the corners and no one out and hit a grounder to third, leaving Soto dead to rights off third base and tagged out, 5-2-5-3.

Both runners advanced during the rundown, but Brian Dozier lined out to short, and after an intentional walk to Victor Robles, Stephen Strasburg stepped in with the bases loaded, and K’d swinging to end a 26-pitch inning that left Stroman at 102 total after six.

Stroman came back out for the seventh, but was lifted after a leadoff walk to Trea Turner...

Marcus Stroman’s Line: 6.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 9 Ks, 1 HR, 108 P, 66 S, 5/1 GO/FO.

Turn-on and SotOBP: Trea Turner started the series with the Mets with a 16-game on-base streak going, over which he was 22 for 67 (.328 AVG) with three doubles, a triple, three HRs, six RBIs, eight walks, and 13 runs scored.

He extended his streak to 17-straight with an infield single in the first at bat of the game.

Juan Soto was 12 for 49 (.245/.406/.531) over the course of his own 14-game hit streak, with two doubles, four home runs, 14 walks, and seven Ks in those games. Soto hit his eighth home run in 15 games to extend his streak, sending a two-run blast to right-center in the top of the third.

BULLPEN ACTION: Justin Wilson took over on the mound for the Mets with a runner (Trea Turner) on first and no one out in the top of the seventh and retired the first batter he faced, striking out Adam Eaton, before Anthony Rendon hit a first-pitch fastball out to left field for a two-run home run that made it a 5-3 game. Rendon’s 25th of 2019, which matched his previous career-high...

Robert Gsellman threw a scoreless top of the eighth.

Daniel Hudson took over for Strasburg in the bottom of the eighth inning and worked around a 1-out double for a scoreless frame to keep it a 5-3 game in the Nats’ favor.

Gsellman came back out for the ninth and gave up back-to-back hits by Trea Turner and Adam Eaton. Turner took third on a fly to right by Rendon, and with runners on first and third, the Mets turned to Luis Avilán, who struck Juan Soto out with a 2-2 changeup, but threw a curve in the dirt with Matt Adams at the plate that allowed Turner to score, 6-3.

Sean Doolittle came on for the save in the bottom of the ninth and gave up a leadoff double to left by J.D. Davis, and a single to center by Wilson Ramos. Todd Frazier stepped in as the potential tying run, and hit a 1-2 fastball out to left for a game-tying, three-run blast, 6-6, for the 7th, 8th, and 9th runs the Mets have scored off Doolittle in 5+ IP this season.

Joe Panik connected for the fourth straight hit off Doolittle, singling up the middle, but the Nats cut down the lead runner on a bunt. Amed Rosario singled to left with two down, and Michael Conforto followed with a walk-off single on a fly to right that cleared Adam Eaton’s head, 7-6 final.

Nationals now 61-54