NEW YORK (Interstat) — CJ Abrams hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the Washington Nationals to a 5-4 victory over the New York Mets on Thursday afternoon at Citi Field, snapping a two-game losing streak in the series and giving the Nationals their second straight win after a lopsided defeat the previous night.

Abrams finished 2-for-3 with a walk, three RBIs and the go-ahead blast, his eighth home run of the season. The shortstop’s drive to right-center field scored Daylen Lile, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, and erased a 4-3 deficit the Mets had held since the sixth inning.

The game was played in front of 29,621 fans and lasted 2 hours, 31 minutes.

Mitchell Parker picked up the win for Washington, tossing three innings of relief and allowing one run on two hits with no walks and one strikeout. Parker improved to 2-0 on the season. Gus Varland earned his third save with 1 1/3 innings of one-hit ball, striking out one.

Luke Weaver took the loss for New York, falling to 2-1. Weaver entered in the eighth inning and surrendered two runs on two hits, including Abrams’ homer, while recording one strikeout.

The Nationals struck first in the top of the second inning. With one out, Jorbit Vivas singled sharply to left field. Nasim Nuñez then reached on a throwing error by Mets starter Freddy Peralta, allowing Vivas to score from first base and Nuñez to advance to third. Jacob Young followed with a ground-ball single to right field, plating Nuñez and giving Washington a 2-0 lead.

Washington extended the lead in the third inning. Luis García Jr. led off with a double to center field, moved to third on a groundout by Lile and scored on Abrams’ single to left, making it 3-0.

The Mets answered in the bottom of the third. Bo Bichette drew a walk and Juan Soto singled sharply to center, setting the stage for MJ Melendez. The left fielder launched a three-run homer to right field, his second of the season, tying the game at 3-3. Melendez finished 2-for-2 with a walk and three RBIs.

Both teams traded scoreless innings until the Mets took the lead in the sixth. Soto walked to start the inning, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Melendez and scored on Mark Vientos’ double to center field. Vientos went 1-for-4 with an RBI.

Washington tied the game in the eighth when García Jr. singled to center, advanced to second on a forceout and scored on Abrams’ homer. The Nationals added an insurance run later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Keibert Ruiz, though the scoring play was credited as a fielder’s choice when Young reached base and Nuñez was thrown out at the plate.

The Mets threatened in the bottom of the ninth. Francisco Alvarez doubled sharply to left with two outs, but Ronny Mauricio struck out swinging to end the game.

Freddy Peralta started for the Mets and pitched six innings, allowing four hits and one earned run while striking out six. He walked two and was not involved in the decision. Miles Mikolas started for Washington and lasted four innings, surrendering three runs on three hits with three strikeouts.

Brooks Raley pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the Mets, striking out two. Devin Williams worked a perfect eighth inning with one strikeout. Richard Lovelady recorded two outs in the eighth for Washington without allowing an earned run.

The Nationals improved to 15-17 with the win. The Mets fell to 10-21, matching their worst 31-game start in franchise history. Washington had lost 8-0 to the Mets on Tuesday before bouncing back with a 14-2 win on Wednesday. The Mets had won four of their previous six games entering Thursday.

Washington’s next game is Friday at home against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Mets travel to Los Angeles to face the Angels on Friday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Washington Nationals 4, New York Mets 2. Interstat’s ELO system had projected the Mets with a 60.5 percent probability to win. New York was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 9 went under the over-under line of 8.