WASHINGTON Jake Diekman kept his thoughts to simple math as the bullpen door opened in the ninth inning Monday night with a Mets victory hanging in the balance. The left-hander had against the Diamondbacks on Ketel Martes two-run homer in the ninth inning in a harrowing Mets lo s. Diekman had flushed that memory and was now charged with sanitizing Adam Ottavinos me s. Try to get two outs there before they score two, Diekman said of his mindset. Diekman got the two outs and Washington scored only once in a nail-biting 8-7 victory for the Mets at Nationals Park. Jake Diekman helped the Mets escape with a win Monday night. AP Explore More Starling Marte scored two runs for the Mets during their win against the Nationals. Getty Images Diekman struck out Drew Millas with the tying run at third base and go-ahead run at first to end it, as the Mets (who lead the major leagues with 10 lo ses when leading after seven innings) narrowly avoided another disaster. The struggling Ottavino, entrusted with an 8-5 lead, recorded only one out in the ninth and allowed a run before leaving with the bases loaded. Diekman fell behind 3-0 in the count to Joey Meneses before retiring him on a sacrifice fly. It took Diekman only three pitches all four-seam fastballs to strike out Millas. [Diekman] has been in this game a long time and he was able to slow the game down and just think small, one pitch at a time, manager Carlos Mendoza said. He got back in the count and got the sacrifice fly there and back on track for the last out of the game. Hell of a job, especially after the outing he had [Sunday]. Ottavinos disastrous Kenny Lofton Jersey ninth undermined what had been a strong night of work by the Mets bullpen. Mark Vientos homered for the Mets during their win against the Nationals. AP The Mets have won only four times in their last 14 games, but in three of those victories Adrian Houser has left an imprint as a reliever. On this night he pitched 2 / scorele s innings in relief before Drew Smith, in his first appearance off the injured list, got the final out in the eighth. As a starter Houser has pitched to an 8.55 ERA in seven appearances this season. In his five relief outings hes been a completely different pitcher, owning a 1.42 ERA. Luis Torrens hit a two-run double for the Mets in the fifth inning Monday. AP Houser also had multi-inning relief appearances against the Giants and Diamondbacks on the last homestand in which he pitched well and the Mets won. Tylor Megill scuffled in his third start off the injured list, allowing five runs, one of which was unearned, on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts over five innings. Megills chances of working deeper evaporated during a fifth inning in which he faced seven batters but surrendered only one run. Its just one of those starts where the command isnt there and you try to grind through it and make quality pitches, Megill said. MacKenzie Gore allowed six runs while pitching against the Mets on Monday. Getty Images Je se Winker hit an RBI single for the Nationals in the second inning Monday. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con Starling Marte and Mark Vientos walked in succe sion to begin the second, allowing the Mets to go ahead 1-0 on Harrison Baders sacrifice fly following a wild pitch. The Mets loaded the bases in the inning, but Pete Alonso was retired on a deep fly to left to end the threat. Bader dropped Nick Senzels fly ball to deep right-center leading off the second for a two-base error that led to the Nationals tying it 1-1 on Je se Winkers RBI single. Vientos homered against MacKenzie Gore to lead off the fourth. The blast, which put the Mets ahead 2-1, was Vientos fifth of the season three of which have been hit against lefties. Francisco Lindor delivered an RBI single in the inning after Jose Iglesias singled and stole second. Joey Gallo blasted a three-run homer in the fourth that allowed the Nationals to regain the lead at 4-3. Delivering insights on all things Amazins Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Senzel and Winker each singled before the Nationals had a call overturned at first base, allowing Ildemaro Vargas to reach and extend the inning. Vargas was initially ruled out on what would have been an inning-ending double-play grounder. The Mets loaded the bases in the fifth before Baders second sacrifice fly of the night tied it 4-4. Iglesias third hit of the game, an RBI single, put the Mets ahead before Luis Torrens extended the lead to 7-4 with a two-run double. But Megill barely survived the fifth, allowing a run on two singles and two walks to pull the Nationals within 7-5. Megill escaped with the bases loaded by retiring Vargas for the final out. Jacob Barnes throwing error gifted the Mets a run in the sixth. Starling Marte singled and J.D. Martinez raced to third, with the throw from right field hitting him. Barnes grabbed the ball and attempted to nail Marte, who had taken a wide turn at first, and threw it away. Vic Davalillo Jersey