WASHINGTON — Adrian Hauser was a failure as a starting pitcher, but he’s been given a new role and is quickly becoming the Mets’ secret weapon.
The Mets have won just four of their last 14 games, with relief pitcher Hauser making his mark in three of those wins.
The most recent came Monday night, when he made six starts in place of Tyler Megill and led the Mets to an 8-7 victory over the Nationals.
Hauser’s 2 1/3 scoreless innings were the highlight of a night when the Mets exploded offensively to snap a two-game losing streak.
Drew Smith, making his first appearance off the disabled list, recorded the final out in the eighth before Adam Ottavino and Jake Diekman got the final three outs.
Ottavino gave up two runs in the ninth inning, but Diekman, who had botched a save in the ninth inning a day earlier in a loss to the Diamondbacks, got the final two outs.
Hauser has posted an 8.55 ERA in seven appearances as a starter this season.
In five relief appearances, he posted a 1.42 ERA and became a completely different pitcher.
Hauser also pitched well in multiple innings of relief in the Mets’ last home games against the Giants and Diamondbacks, leading the Mets to victories.
Megill struggled in his third start since coming off the disabled list, giving up five runs (one of which was earned) on seven hits, three walks and four strikeouts over five innings.
Any chance of pitching deeper disappeared as Megill faced seven batters in the fifth inning and gave up just one run.
Starling Marte and Mark Vientos were walked in succession in the top of the second inning, and after a wild pitch, Harrison Bader hit a sacrifice fly to give the Mets a 1-0 lead.
The Mets loaded the bases in the inning, but the crisis ended when Pete Alosno was out on a deep fly to left.
Bader hit a double error on a deep right-center fly ball by Nick Senzel, who was leadoff hitter in the second inning, and the Nationals tied the game at 1-1 on an RBI single by Jesse Winker.
Vientos hit a home run in the fourth inning off leadoff batter MacKenzie Gore.
The homer, which gave the Mets a 2-1 lead, was Vientos’ fifth of the season, three of which came against left-handed pitchers.
Francisco Lindor had an RBI single in the inning after Jose Iglesias singled and stole second base.
Joey Gallo hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning and the Nationals took the lead again, 4–3.
After Senzel and Winker each singled, the Nationals got a call at first base that was overturned, allowing Ildemaro Vargas to reach base to extend the inning.
Vargas was initially ruled out on a grounder that should have resulted in an inning-ending double play.
The Mets loaded the bases in the fifth inning before Bader’s second sacrifice fly of the day tied the game at 4-4.
Iglesias’ third hit of the game, an RBI single, gave the Mets the lead, and then Luis Torrens hit a two-run double to extend the lead to 7-4.
But Megill barely made it through the fifth inning, allowing one run on two singles and two walks to put the Nationals within 7-5.
Megill got Vargas out with the bases loaded and escaped with the win.
The Mets gave up one run in the sixth inning on a throwing error by Jacob Barnes.
Starling Marte singled, and J.D. Martinez sprinted to third base after hitting the throw from right field.
Barnes got hold of the ball and initially tried to pass to Marte, who was veering wide, but the ball was dumped away.
