WASHINGTON — The message the Mets have been trying to rally around might as well have come from Crash Davis himself: One game at a time.

They’ve now won three straight after opening a series against the Washington Nationals with an 8-1 win Tuesday night at Nationals Park. All of the ground lost in the NL East and Wild Card races amid a dismal 2-14 stretch can’t be made up right away, but stringing together solid wins like the last three represent a step in the right direction.

Left-hander David Peterson threw eight innings, carrying a shutout into the eighth inning before allowing an earned run. Benefitting from a five-run top-third, Peterson (8-5) limited the Nats to one run on four hits, walking one and striking out 10.

It was a stellar performance, and the type the Mets have rarely s

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