WASHINGTON (Interstat) — James Wood hit the majors’ first inside-the-park grand slam since 2022, and the Washington Nationals rallied from an early five-run deficit Tuesday night to defeat the New York Mets 9-6 at Nationals Park.

Wood’s historic blast in the second inning ignited a comeback that washed away a 5-0 Mets lead and gave Washington its first victory after consecutive losses. The Nationals avoided a three-game skid for the first time since April 22-24.

Bo Bichette homered twice for the Mets, driving in four runs, and Juan Soto also went deep for New York, which had won six of its previous seven. But Washington’s offense erupted for nine runs over the middle innings, and the bullpen shut down the Mets after the fourth.

The Mets stormed out of the gate against Nationals starter Foster Griffin. Carson Benge led off the game with a single to shortstop. Bichette followed with a two-run homer to center field, his fourth of the season. Soto singled, and Mark Vientos doubled to put runners at second and third. Marcus Semien brought home Soto with a sacrifice fly to left, giving New York a 3-0 lead after the first inning.

Washington answered with a run in the bottom of the first when James Wood singled, but Luis García Jr. grounded into a force out and the inning ended with a strikeout.

The Mets added to their lead in the second. Benge singled again, and Bichette launched his second homer of the night — and fifth of the season — a two-run shot to left field that pushed the lead to 5-0.

Then came the turning point.

In the bottom of the second, Wood stepped to the plate with the bases loaded after Jorbit Vivas doubled, Drew Millas was hit by a pitch and Nasim Nuñez singled. Wood drove a pitch to left-center field, and the ball eluded the outfielders, allowing him to circle the bases for a historic inside-the-park grand slam. It was the first such grand slam in the majors since 2022, and it cut the Nationals’ deficit to 5-4. The play scored Vivas, Millas and Nuñez.

Washington seized the lead in the third. José Tena led off with a solo home run to left-center, his third of the season, trimming the gap to 5-5. CJ Abrams walked, Daylen Lile singled and Dylan Crews grounded out to shortstop, allowing Lile to advance to third. Jorbit Vivas then lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Lile and putting Washington ahead 6-5.

The Nationals padded their lead in the fourth. Wood singled again, and Luis García Jr. flied out. José Tena reached on a fielder’s choice, with Wood moving to third on a throwing error by second baseman Marcus Semien. CJ Abrams then reached on a fielder’s choice, with Wood scoring and Tena also coming home on a missed catch error by catcher Luis Torrens. The play put Washington ahead 9-5.

New York never recovered from the four-run inning.

The Mets got one run back in the seventh when Soto homered to center field, his seventh of the season, but it was not enough. Washington’s bullpen took control from there.

Brad Lord threw three innings of relief, allowing two hits and one earned run while striking out three. Foster Griffin earned the win, improving to 5-2, after going five innings and allowing eight hits and five earned runs with five strikeouts. Richard Lovelady worked a perfect ninth inning for his third save, striking out one and not allowing a hit.

Nolan McLean took the loss for the Mets, dropping to 2-3. Daniel Duarte pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out one.

The Mets finished with 10 hits. Bichette went 2 for 4 with two homers and four RBIs, and Soto was 2 for 4 with a homer and an RBI. Vientos added two hits.

Washington managed nine hits. Wood led the way, going 3 for 5 with four RBIs. Tena contributed a home run and an RBI. Jorbit Vivas had a double and an RBI. The Nationals capitalized on two Mets errors, both of which led to unearned runs.

Attendance was listed at 22,754, and the game lasted 2 hours 23 minutes.

The win improved Washington’s record to 24-25, while the Mets fell to 21-27.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Washington Nationals 6, New York Mets 5. Interstat’s ELO system gave the Mets a 53.90 percent probability to win. New York had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5 runs. The total of 15 runs went under the over/under line of 8.5.