Washington Nationals swept in 3-straight in Citi Field with 5-0 shutout loss to New York Mets in finale…

When was the last time this team scored a run? Monday night? Ugh. Swept in Citi Field. On to Cincinnati…

Evan Lee vs NYM:

Evan Lee, 24, owns a 3.60 ERA and a 3.57 FIP with 15 walks (4.50 BB/9), and 37 Ks (11.10 K/9) in seven starts and 30 IP at Double-A Harrisburg this season. A 2018 15th Round pick, and a top 20 prospect in the organization going into this season, (No. 17) on MLB Pipeline’s list of the top players in the system, Lee got the call today, to make his major league debut in the series finale this afternoon in Citi Field.

Going into the outing, manager Davey Martinez had simple advice when asked what the keys were for the debuting starter.

“Strikes,” he said. “He’s got to pound the strike zone, work in and out. He’s got good stuff, really good stuff. He’s got a sneaky fastball. So, you know, like I said, I talked to him, I told him, ‘You have a routine, nothing changes. 60 feet, 6 inches, you know?’ So he’s ready. I talked to him this morning, he says he feels good, he’s ready.”

Lee issued one walk in each of his first three innings on the mound in the majors, but the left-hander stranded all three batters, and two who got on with singles in three scoreless frames, which he completed on 56 pitches, working with a 91-93 MPH four-seamer (59%), 79-81 MPH curve (39%), and an 80 MPH changeup (2%).

His outing ended in the fourth, however, with J.D. Davis singling to right on a first-pitch fastball to lead off, Luis Guillorme walking with one down, and both runners scoring on Tomás Nido’s single to center, which Dee Strange-Gordon booted, 2-0.

Lee got out No. 2, on a line drive to right by Brandon Nimmo, but his manager went out to get him after he’d thrown his 67th pitch…

Evan Lee’s MLB Debut: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 Ks, 76 P, 45 S, 3/3 GO/FO.

Carrasco vs D.C.:

In his 2022 debut, back on April 10th in Nationals Park, Carlos Carrasco, 35, held the home team to a run on two hits in 5 ²⁄₃ IP, giving up a home run by Nelson Cruz for the only run, walking no one, and striking out five.

A month later, back in D.C. again, the veteran starter went 6 ²⁄₃ innings, with seven hits, one a homer, and two runs allowed overall, striking out five without allowing a walk again.

In nine starts overall heading into today’s series finale in Citi Field, and his third start against the Nationals this year, the right-hander was (5-1) with a 3.98 ERA, a 2.81 FIP, eight walks, 46 Ks, and a .257/.298/.361 line against in 52 IP.

Carrasco tossed two quick, scoreless frames to start today’s game, working around a walk in the first and single in the second, but he ran into trouble in the third when he issued the middle of the Nationals’ order (Juan Soto, Nelson Cruz, & Josh Bell) three-straight, two-out walks, but a swinging K by Yadiel Hernández ended the threat and a 26-pitch frame which left the Mets’ starter at 58 total on the day.

Luis García and Riley Adams hit back-to-back, one-out singles off Carrasco in the top of the fourth, but Carrasco got an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP out of Dee Strange-Gordon to complete his fourth scoreless frame.

Carrasco came out for the fifth with a 2-0 lead, and 76 pitches on his arm, and he was up to 94 after a two-out walk to Nelson Cruz and an opposite field double by Josh Bell, but Yadiel Hernández drilled a 1-0 changeup straight down, and it spun in the dirt and stayed fair, and he was tagged out to end the inning. Still 2-0 NYM.

Carlos Carrasco’s Line: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 5 Ks, 95 P, 56 S, 7/1 GO/FO.

Bullpen Action:

Victor Arano inherited a runner on second from Evan Lee in the fourth, with the Mets up 2-0 and two out, and the right-hander got out No. 3 … after a wild pitch.

Arano returned to the mound in the Mets’ half of the fifth, and retired the Mets in order.

Carl Edwards, Jr. gave up a leadoff walk in the Mets’ sixth, but got a backwards K and 4-6-3 double play to end the inning with the score still 2-0 NY.

Steve Cishek tried to keep it close in the bottom of the seventh, after Mets’ righty Seth Lugo completed his second scoreless frame in the top of the inning, but a leadoff single and one-out ROE on a fly to right Juan Soto misread led manager Davey Martinez to go to the pen for Kyle Finnegan with runners on the corners and one out. Francisco Lindor battled Finnegan for six pitches, and lined a sac fly to center to put the Mets up 3-0.

Josh Bell singled and Yadiel Hernández walked to start the eighth, with Adam Ottavino on for the Mets, but Maikel Franco K’d swinging for out No. 1, Luis García K’d swinging for out No. 2, and pinch hitter Keibert Ruiz grounded out to end the threat, and the Nationals’ 20th straight inning without a run, going back to the 6th in Monday’s series opening, 13-5 loss.

Jordan Weems got the ball in the bottom of the eighth, for his second straight appearance, and the right-hander gave up a one-out single and two-out walk which put runners on first and third in front of Tomás Nido, who lined a two-run double to left field Yadiel Hernández dove for but didn’t catch, 5-0. A 4 for 4 game for Nido.

Edwin Díaz came on to wrap up the sweep and made it 21-straight scoreless for Mets’ pitching to end the series. Back-to-back shutouts. Ugh.

Nationals now 18-34