WASHINGTON – It was the mantra that began to feel like a taunt. The players were better than this, the Mets were better than this, and yet, the losses kept mounting.

But then there was Nolan McLean on Saturday and Mark Vientos on Sunday, and Tuesday, looking to build on a two-game winning streak while facing a woeful Nationals team, nearly everyone got in on the fun. David Peterson bounced back from a nightmare outing, Vientos hit the longest homer of his career, and the Mets beat the Nationals, 8-1 at Nationals Park.

Peterson, the nominal ace and not-so nominal workhorse of this rotation, allowed one run and four hits with a walk and season-high 10 strikeouts over eight innings, just one start after getting pulled after 3 1/3. Vientos hit a two-run homer in a five-run third, while Brett

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