Mets pound Nats behind Daniel Vogelbach’s grand slam

Daniel Vogelbach hit a grand slam for his first homer as a Met, Chris Bassitt tossed seven scoreless innings and New York routed the Washington Nationals 9-5 on Wednesday to take the rubber game of the series.

Vogelbach, acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 22, connected off reliever Jordan Weems in the fifth inning to give the Mets a 6-0 lead.

Pete Alonso hit his 28th homer of the season, Jeff McNeil had three doubles and Brandon Nimmo had three hits for the Mets.

Bassitt (8-7) allowed six hits and a walk while striking out four. He has thrown 13 scoreless innings in two starts against Washington this season.

Keibert Ruiz and Lane Thomas homered, Victor Robles had an RBI single and Luis Garcia smacked a two-run single for Washington in a five-run ninth inning as reliever Mychal Givens was roughed up in his Mets debut.

lldemaro Vargas, called up from Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday, went 4-for-4 in his Nationals debut.

Washington starter Anibal Sanchez (0-4) allowed five runs -- four earned -- on five hits in 4 1/3 innings and lost his fourth consecutive start.

The first two Nationals reached on an error and a bunt single against Bassitt in the first, but he struck out Yadiel Hernandez and Joey Meneses hit into a double play.

Francisco Lindor worked a nine-pitch walk with two outs in the third and Alonso followed with a homer to center.

In the fifth, Nimmo walked and Starling Marte hit a liner to Vargas, who dropped it, then threw wildly to second to put runners on second and third. After Lindor popped out, Alonso was walked intentionally and Weems came on to face Vogelbach, who skied a 2-2 pitch into the bullpen in right for his 13th homer of the season.

New York added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth.

Luis Guillorme tripled and Tomas Nido doubled him home. Nimmo singled Nido to third and Marte grounded into a force play with Nido scoring.

Guillorme scored McNeil on an RBI groundout in the ninth for a 9-0 lead.