Kyle Schwarber homered three times and tied a major league record with five in a two-game span, leading the Washington Nationals over the New York Mets 5-2 Sunday to take three of four in the series.
Schwarber set a Nationals/Montreal Expos record by homering nine times in a 10-game span, increasing his total to 18 this season with his first career three homer-game. Moved in the leadoff spot on June 12, Schwarber had four RBIs for the second straight game.
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Kyle Schwarber homered three times and tied a major league record with five in a two-game span, leading the Washington Nationals over the New York Mets 5-2 Sunday to take three of four in the series.
Schwarber had the sixth three-homer game since the franchise moved to Washington for the 2005 season, the first since Anthony Rendon's 10-RBI game against the Mets on April 30, 2017.
Patrick Corbin (5-5) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings with seven strikeouts and a walk. He retired 15 of 16 batters on 76 pitches through six innings.
New York scored just nine runs in the four-game series. Despite going 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position, Washington closed within five games of the NL East-leading Mets.
TRAINER’S ROOM
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Washington Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin (46) delivers a pitch during the third inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
Washington Nationals' Trea Turner, bottom, steals second against New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, top, during the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor talks on the field during the middle of the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
New York Mets starting pitcher Taijuan Walker delivers during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
First base umpire Kerwin Danley wipes his head with a towel before the fifth inning of a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Mets, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
He hit a 2-0 fastball from Taijuan Walker (6-3) for his fourth leadoff home run this season, capped an eight-pitch at-bat starting the fifth by homering on a sinker for a 3-1 lead, then hit an 0-1 slider from Jeurys Familia for a two-run homer into the Mets' bullpen in left field in the seventh.
Washington Nationals' Kyle Schwarber takes a curtain call after he hit a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
Schwarber had the sixth three-homer game since the franchise moved to Washington for the 2005 season, the first since Anthony Rendon's 10-RBI game against the Mets on April 30, 2017.
Schwarber's third homer followed a pinch-hit double by Gerardo Parra, a 34-year-old fan favorite who returned to the Nationals on Sunday when his contract was selected from Triple-A Rochester. Parra's walkup music of the children's song “Baby Shark” became a theme of the Nationals’ run to the 2019 World Series title, and it sounded before his at-bat to the crowd's delight.
Parra spent last season with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan, then signed a minor league contract with the Nationals last winter.
Washington Nationals' Kyle Schwarber, right, celebrates his home run with with third base coach Bob Henley (15) during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
Patrick Corbin (5-5) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings with seven strikeouts and a walk. He retired 15 of 16 batters on 76 pitches through six innings.
Pete Alonso homered leading off the seventh. ending a 38 at-bat homerless stretch with his 11th this season. Alonso reached 80 home runs in 274 games, third-fewest behind Ryan Howard (245) and Aaron Judge (264).
A shifted third baseman Starlin Castro snagged pinch-hitter Dominic Smith's smash up the middle off Kyle Finnegan for a double play in the seventh.
Washington Nationals' Kyle Schwarber takes a curtain call after he hit a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
New York scored just nine runs in the four-game series. Despite going 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position, Washington closed within five games of the NL East-leading Mets.
Walker, who had allowed just two prior homers this season, dropped to 2-3 on the road to go along with a 4-0 mark record. He allowed four runs and a season-high 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Kevin Pillar's sixth homer tied the score in the second, and Josh Bell hit a go-ahead single in the third.
Washington Nationals' Kyle Schwarber takes a curtain call after he hit a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: RHP Daniel Hudson (right elbow inflammation) is still not throwing a baseball. He has not pitched since June 9 and his recovery is a “slow process,” according to Nationals manager Dave Martinez.
Mets: OF Brandon Nimmo (detached hand ligament) began a minor league rehab assignment Sunday with Triple-A Syracuse. Nimmo played just 21 games for the Mets, the last May 2.
Washington Nationals' Kyle Schwarber celebrates his home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (6-2, 0.54) is expected to start one of the games of Monday's doubleheader at home against Atlanta, New York's second twin bill in three days.
Nationals: RHP Max Scherzer (5-4, 2.21 ERA) is likely to be activated from the 10-day injured list and start Tuesday at Philadelphia.
Washington Nationals' Kyle Schwarber, left, celebrates his home run with Josh Bell, right, during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Washington Nationals' Kyle Schwarber (12) celebrates his two-run home run with Gerardo Parra, right, during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin (46) delivers a pitch during the third inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
Washington Nationals' Trea Turner, bottom, steals second against New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, top, during the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor talks on the field during the middle of the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
New York Mets starting pitcher Taijuan Walker delivers during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
First base umpire Kerwin Danley wipes his head with a towel before the fifth inning of a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Mets, Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)