James Wood's inside-the-park grand slam sparks rally, helps Nationals defeat Mets 9-6

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Washington Nationals' James Wood leaps a over a ground ball on his way to second base during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Nationals' Drew Millas, right, celebrates as the Nationals' James Wood slides into home on a inside the park grand slam home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell) — Washington Nationals' James Wood leaps a over a ground ball on his way to second base during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

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7:04 PM on Tuesday, May 19

By PATRICK STEVENS

WASHINGTON (AP) — James Wood hit the majors’ first inside-the-park grand slam since 2022, and the Washington Nationals rallied from an early five-run deficit Tuesday night to defeat the New York Mets 9-6.

José Tena also homered for Washington, which avoided its first three-game skid since April 22-24.

Bo Bichette homered twice and drove in four runs and Juan Soto also went deep for New York, which had won six of seven.

Down 5-0, the Nationals loaded the bases with two outs in the second inning. Mets starter Nolan McLean (2-3) threw a first-pitch sweeper to Wood, who lofted it to deep left.

It glanced off the arm of the leaping Nick Morabito and caromed into center. Wood scampered around the bases in 15.15 seconds and dove into the plate well ahead of the throw for his first career grand slam.

It was the Nationals’ second inside-the-park grand slam since the franchise moved to Washington in 2005. Michael A. Taylor hit one on Sept. 8, 2017, at home against Philadelphia. It was the ninth inside-the-park grand slam since 1994 and the first since Toronto’s Raimel Tapia did it on July 22, 2022.

Tena led off the third with a homer to the Mets' bullpen in left. CJ Abrams scored the go-ahead run on catcher Luis Torrens’ passed ball later in the inning, and Jorbit Vivas’ sacrifice fly made it 7-5.

Washington tacked on two unearned runs in the fourth thanks to errors by second baseman Marcus Semien and Torrens.

Bichette hit two-run homers off Washington starter Foster Griffin (5-2) in the first and second innings. It was Bichette’s 10th career multi-homer game and first since signing with New York in January.

Griffin allowed five runs in five innings and struck out five.

Richard Lovelady pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save.

McLean surrendered nine runs — six earned — in 5 2/3 innings.

Morabito, making his major league debut, was 0 for 3 and was hit by a pitch.

The game was delayed 46 minutes at the start because of the threat of rain.

Up next

Washington’s RHP Zack Littell (2-4, 6.10 ERA) starts the third game of the series Wednesday. New York has not announced its pitching plans.

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