(Photo credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images)

The New York Mets may be without a key cog in their lineup on Thursday afternoon when they play the decisive game of their three-game series against the host Washington Nationals.

Brandon Nimmo saw his seven-game hitting streak come to an unceremonious end after he exited the Mets' 5-4 loss to the Nationals on Wednesday in the second inning due to a stiff neck.

'Depending on how serious it is, I can tough it out and play through it. But this one was affecting the swing and me running,' Nimmo said. 'I wasn't able to do what I wanted to do on defense. I wasn't able to look up, so I was being a detriment on both ends.'

New York manager Carlos Mendoza said the team would evaluate Nimmo before Thursday's game.

'He's dealt with this before. It's usually 24 to 48 hours, we'll see what we've got (on Thursday),' Mendoza said. 'But like I've said, he's day-to-day. I don't know if it's the same side, but he usually deals with this. He doesn't (seem) to be too concerned.'

The Mets need to be concerned about stringing together victories as they battle for the final National League wild-card spot.

New York's Sean Manaea (1-1, 4.78 ERA) will start on Thursday against Washington's MacKenzie Gore (5-12, 4.04) in a battle of left-handers.

The Mets' Brett Baty homered for the second consecutive contest on Wednesday, and Jeff McNeil continued his hot hitting by ripping a two-run double for the second straight day. McNeil, who also homered on Tuesday, is 9-for-21 (.429) with five RBIs and six runs during a five-game hitting streak.

Unfortunately for New York, it was unable to overcome a four-run deficit and lost for the 15th time in the past 20 games.

The cellar-dwelling Nationals have no qualms about playing the role of a spoiler.

Josh Bell homered and drove in two runs and Dylan Crews scored twice on Wednesday. Paul DeJong had a double to extend his hitting streak to nine games.

Keeping Bell, Crews and DeJong in check will be the responsibility of Manaea, who has been fortunate to walk away with three no-decisions this month while recording a bloated 7.98 ERA. He has yielded 13 runs on 19 hits -- including four homers -- in 14 2/3 innings.

Manaea, 33, is 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) vs. the Nationals.

Gore has answered a four-start losing streak by allowing two runs on seven hits with 17 strikeouts in his past two outings (12 innings). He responded after surrendering two quick runs in a no-decision against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday to retire 16 of the final 18 batters he faced, but Washington lost 6-2.

'(In) the first inning, he was a little off,' Nationals interim manager Miguel Cairo said of Gore. 'All of a sudden, he just turned the machine on. He was making pitches, he was getting ahead in the count, and he just pitched really well after that.'

Gore, 26, received a no-decision vs. the Mets on June 10 after permitting two runs on five hits in six innings. He is 1-3 with a 4.29 ERA in seven career appearances (all starts) against New York.

--Field Level Media