For all the fight the Mets showed against an ace and the guts displayed by Zack Wheeler, they couldn’t undo a five-batter stretch in the first inning.
In that time, the Nationals took a four-run lead off Wheeler, and though Mets came close to erasing it later in the game, the hill proved too tall to climb.
A team that entered this series reeling departs it the same way.
The Mets were swept by their biggest rivals in the first meeting between the squads when they fell, 6-3, on Sunday night at Citi Field. The Mets (8-11) have lost four straight and eight of nine, and are now 5{ games behind the Nationals in the division.
Zack Wheeler (1-2) allowed a first-inning grand slam to Daniel Murphy but otherwise cruised through a season-high seven innings, and Michael Conforto scored two runs while also homering off Max Scherzer.
Having to face Scherzer with a sweep staring them down provided a tall task for the Mets Sunday, and this team is too battered at the moment to withstand body blows like Murphy’s grand slam. Just 10 minutes into the game, Murphy hit a 1-0 pitch over wall in center to put his former team in the large hole.
That moment would loom large as Wheeler settled in after that hit, and for the most part dominated the Nationals the rest of the way. The righty could have folded after the homer, but he instead produced his most gutsiest outing of the year. He retired the next seven batters after the homer, and cruised through his final six innings.
Only three Nationals’ batters reached base against Wheeler after the first inning, but Washington added two critical runs in the eighth when Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-out, two-run homer off Josh Smoker to put the Mets in a 6-3 hole.
Though Wheeler took the loss, he pitched well, and Mets manager Terry Collins praised Wheeler for the progress he’s made in his return from Tommy John surgery. Wheeler allowed just three hits and struck out six in his fourth start of the year.
“He’s made a lot of progression,” Collins said before the game. “His command of his fastball, I don’t necessarily mean pinpoint control, but the command of his fastball has been very good. This guy has thrown (66) percent strikes, his secondary pitches have gotten better. ... I’m very impressed with how he’s adjusted so fast because he’s never been a great control guy ever. He just has great stuff. But right now he’s controlling his fastball which you want any player to be able to do.”
With Wheeler keeping the Nationals in check after the grand slam, it bought time for the Mets to creep back into the game thanks to the long ball, but they couldn’t get closer than one run.
Conforto got one one of those runs back immediately when he hit his second leadoff homer in three days to slice the lead to 4-1.
Two innings later, following a leadoff single by Conforto, Neil Walker blasted a two-out, two-run homer into the right field seats off Scherzer to make it a one-run game and galvanize the crowd at Citi Field. Walker is slumping to start the season but has two homers in his last four games.
The Mets did not truly threat the rest of the game, and they put up a fight despite having a compromised roster. They once again were without Yoenis Cespedes and Travis d’Arnaud, who both did not start each game of this three-game series.
Cespedes has a tweaked hamstring that flared up Thursday against the Phillies, and was unable to serve as a pinch hitter both Friday and Saturday. He felt better Sunday, and the team is hopeful he can return to the lineup Tuesday against Atlanta.
D’Arnaud has a wrist issue and last started Wednesday, but has pinch hit each day since then including a strikeout Sunday. He told Collins before the game that it still hurts to throw. According to Collins, the catcher is concerned he will worsen the situation if he plays with the pain.
Collins said before the game that if either player is not ready by Tuesday the team has to consider using the disabled list. The Mets have a day off Monday.
“I think we need to take a look at it,” Collins said. “I know that’s Sandy (Alderson)’s thoughts. Tuesday comes and they are not much closer, we got to take a look at that.”

RESULTS
Washington 6 NY Mets 3
Miami 7 San Diego 3
LA Dodgers 6 Arizona 2
Seattle 11 Oakland 1
Toronto 6 LA Angels 2
Colorado 8 San Francisco 0
Texas 5 Kansas City 2
Chicago White Sox 6 Cleveland 2
Detroit 13 Minnesota 4
St. Louis 6 Milwaukee 4
Philadelphia 5 Atlanta 2
Boston 6 Baltimore 2
Pittsburgh 2 NY Yankees 1
Cincinnati 7 Chicago Cubs 5
Houston 6 Tampa Bay 4 (10 innings)