NEW YORK — Jacob Young made a pair of sensational catches in center field to prevent extra-base hits Sunday as the Washington Nationals hung on and handed the New York Mets a costly 3-2 defeat.

The Mets, who have lost 11 of 15 and are 35-52 since mid-June, dropped into a tie with the streaking Reds for the final National League wild card. Cincinnati, which beat the Chicago Cubs 1-0, holds the tiebreaker over New York.

With the Mets down 3-1, Brett Baty led off the fifth inning with a long fly to center against Jake Irvin (9-13). Young initially made a twisting, leaping catch, but lost the ball as he crashed into the wall. As the ball was falling toward the ground, a stumbling Young kicked it back up into the air — hacky-sack style — and gloved it a second time for a circus catch.

You

See Full Page