Trea Turner's one-out solo homer sparked a five-run third inning for the Washington Nationals as the Nationals completed a doubleheader sweep of the visiting New York Mets with a 5-3 victory.
Anibal Sanchez earned the win by tossing 5 1/3 solid innings.
The sweep means the defending World Series champion Nationals (25-34) can still technically escape the NL East basement with a win in Sunday's season finale. The Mets (26-33) are one game ahead but if the two teams finish the season tied, Washington would earn fourth place by virtue of its 6-4 series win over New York.
Josh Harrison's tie-breaking RBI in the sixth inning of the opener lifted the Nationals to a 4-3 win that officially eliminated the Mets from playoff contention.
Harrison also contributed to the pivotal rally in the nightcap, when the Nationals sent 10 batters to the plate in the third inning against Rick Porcello (1-7).
Yadiel Hernandez laced an RBI double and Kurt Suzuki delivered a two-out RBI single before Pete Alonso committed a throwing error on a ground ball by Luis Garcia, after which Harrison and Michael Taylor delivered two-out run-scoring singles.
Turner, Suzuki and Harrison all finished with two hits.
Sanchez (4-5) allowed three runs on four hits and one walk while striking out three in lowering his ERA from 6.80 to 6.62. Alonso's two-run homer in the fourth put the Mets on the board and Robinson Cano, who doubled ahead of Alonso's round-tripper, chased Sanchez with a one-out single in the sixth.
Wander Suero entered and issued a walk to Alonso to load the bases before surrendering an RBI single to Todd Frazier, but Suero struck out Luis Guillorme and Amed Rosario to escape the jam.
Daniel Hudson threw a hitless seventh to earn his 10th save.
Alonso had two hits.
Porcello allowed the five runs (three earned) on eight hits and one walk while striking out three over three innings. He finished the season with a 5.64 ERA.
--Field Level Media
