New York Mets’ Kirk Nieuwenhuis hits a solo home run during the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports

Reuters/New York

Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit a pinch-hit solo homer with two outs in the eighth off Jonathan Papelbon as the first-place New York Mets came back from a six-run deficit to stun the Washington Nationals 8-7 on Tuesday. It was the largest deficit the Mets (77-61) have overcome to win a game this season and extended their lead in the National League East to six games over the Nationals (71-67). “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “I don’t have words for it. I am not sure I have been involved in a bigger win than that. There is no sense of panic on the bench. It has to do with character. That is a big value of any player. This means a lot to everybody in that room.”
It was the first career pinch-hit homer for Nieuwenhuis, who was 2-for-18 as a pinch-hitter this year. He last homered on July 12. The Mets had scored six runs in the seventh to level the game at 7-7. “It was almost hard to believe,” Washington starter Jordan Zimmermann said of the seventh, when three Nationals relievers walked six batters.
Shortstop Wilmer Flores had an RBI single against reliever Blake Treinen before right fielder Curtis Granderson walked with the bases loaded off Felipe Rivero to trim the margin to 7-3. Yoenis Cespedes then lined a three-run double down the left field line with two outs off Drew Storen to cut the margin to 7-6. After two more walks, Mets first baseman Lucas Duda then drew another off Storen with the bases loaded to tie the game. Addison Reed (3-2) got the win for New York, while Tyler Clippard pitched a scoreless eighth for the Mets and closer Jeurys Familia pitched the ninth for his 38th save.

McCutchen belts homer to lead Pirates past Reds
Andrew McCutchen hit a three-run home run while Francisco Liriano allowed only three hits in six innings, lifting the Pirates to a 7-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. The victory was Pittsburgh’s 82nd of the year, ensuring they would have their third successive winning season after having none for the previous 20.
“It is tangible evidence of us being in a better place,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “We had 20 consecutive losing seasons as an organisation. I was here for two of them. I felt the angst of the city and the fan base. “We talked about creating a new sense of direction and history.”
Liriano (10-7) issued one walk, struck out 10 and also went 2-for-3 with a double and run scored. “I was able to locate my fastball better and throwing my breaking ball for strike two helped,” Liriano said. “They have a pretty good lineup. Just went out and tried to execute pitches. Changeup was working pretty good.”
Third baseman Kang Jung Ho hit a solo homer and Starling Marte went 3-for-5 with a double and run scored for the National League wild-card leading Pirates (82-55), who are 4-1/2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central.  Kang’s monster shot in the eighth off right-hander Collin Balester travelled an estimated 447 feet into the left-center field bleachers, putting the Pirates ahead 6-0. Shortstop Eugenio Suarez tripled home two runs during a three-run ninth for Cincinnati.
Raisel Iglesias (3-7), who had a nightmare third inning, took the loss for Cincinnati (57-80). The Pirates went ahead 1-0 in the third when Liriano doubled and scored on right fielder Gregory Polanco’s single to right.
McCutchen then smacked a three-run homer an estimated 404 feet to right field. It was McCutchen’s 21st homer this season. Iglesias later committed a run-scoring balk, making it 5-0. He left after three innings, having allowed five runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
“I felt like it was just a bad inning, like any other pitcher can have,” said Iglesias of the third. “I felt like I was missing my spots. I wanted to keep it down and make them miss, and they had some good swings.”
Results
Baltimore 2  bt NY Yankees 1; NY Mets 8 bt Washington 7; Philadelphia 5 bt Atlanta 0; Detroit 8 bt Tampa Bay 7 (13 innings); Toronto 5 bt Boston 1 (10 innings) Pittsburgh 7  bt Cincinnati 3; Miami 6 bt Milwaukee 4; Chicago White Sox 7 bt Cleveland 4;Kansas City 4 bt Minnesota 2; Chicago Cubs 8 bt ST. Louis 5; San Francisco 6 bt Arizona 2; Oakland 4 bt Houston 0; LA Dodgers 6 bt La Angels 4; San Diego 2 bt Colorado 1; Texas 9 bt Seattle 6.