The Mets and Nationals went blow-for-blow, but New York could not overcome its early deficit as they fell 7-6 on Friday night in Washington, D.C.

The loss guarantees the Mets (73-87) will finish last in the NL East in a full season for the first time since 2003.

Here are the takeaways...

-The Mets offense got started quickly, with Mark Vientos driving home Juan Soto, who hit a one-out single, on a double. It's the first first-inning run Andrew Alvarez has allowed this season (17 starts). But it could have been more. After Carson Benge walked to load the bases, Francisco Alvarez was up in the count 3-1 before he grounded into an inning-ending double play.

New York would get more runs in the third inning, though, as a Bo Bichette RBI single and a Vientos sac fly put the Mets in front 3-2.

-Jefrey Yan got the start and had a tough time in the first. Yan allowed two baserunners on but was one out away from getting out of the inning when CJ Abrams hit a bomb to right-center field. It looked destined to be a home run, but the wind must have pushed it back in as it hit off the wall, scoring two, but keeping Abrams -- who was admiring his shot -- to a single.

Yan tossed 37 pitches (21 strikes), allowing two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out one batter.

-Jonathan Pintaro was the next arm out of the Mets 'pen and had a messy third inning. He allowed two runs to score on three wild pitches in the frame, including back-to-back, to give the Nationals the 4-3 lead. Cionel Perez was next and also threw a wild pitch, the fourth of the inning before the Mets recorded an out. A Daylen Lile sac fly pushed across Washington's third run of the inning. A Keibert Ruiz RBI single later, and the Mets finally got out of the third, allowing four runs and four wild pitches.

The Mets had to use five pitchers to get through Friday's game. Justin Hagenman was the long man out of the 'pen and the most effective of the pitchers used in the series opener. However, the home run he allowed to Dylan Crews proved to be the difference in the game.

Here's how the pitchers did:

Yan: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Pintaro: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 1 BB
Perez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB
Hagenman: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Nate Lavender: 1.0 IP, 1 K

-While the wind affected plenty of fly balls to the outfield, it couldn't knock down Bichette and Carson Benge's bombs in the fourth to pull the Mets to within one run. For Benge, it was his 20th homer of the season, and he became the first Mets rookie to have 20 bombs and 20 stolen bases. An Alvarez sac fly in the eighth gave the Mets their sixth run of the game, but that's all they would muster after A.J. Ewing struck out on a check swing that was called a swing by the third base umpire, leaving a runner on base. The rookie yelled at the umpire and was ejected, the first Mets player to be ejected this season.

Game MVP: Nationals bullpen

The much-maligned 'pen allowed just one run in 4.1 innings of work.

Here are the takeaways...

Game MVP: Nationals bullpen

Highlights

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