(Photo credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

The New York Mets insist they are better than their record indicates.

As the first full month of the season concludes, it is time for the Mets to prove it.

The Mets will attempt to end a disappointing month on a high note Thursday afternoon when they host the Washington Nationals in the rubber game of a three-game series.

Freddy Peralta (1-3, 3.90 ERA) is slated to start for the Mets against fellow right-hander Miles Mikolas (0-3, 8.49).

The Nationals evened the series Wednesday night. Brady House's grand slam capped a seven-run fourth inning that sparked Washington's 14-2 rout.

The loss was the 16th in the last 19 games for the Mets.

New York has just 49 runs in those 19 games, an average of 2.6 runs per game. In the three wins, the Mets has a total of 21 runs. In the 16 losses, the Mets crossed the plate just 28 times -- 1.8 runs per game.

Opponents scored 101 runs in the 19-game span, an average of 5.3.

The Mets, who were without Juan Soto for 15 games earlier this month due to a right calf strain and will be without Francisco Lindor (left calf strain) until at least late May, have the worst record in the majors at 10-20. They are 7-18 in April and already seven games behind in the race for the final National League wild-card spot and a whopping 11 1/2 games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East.

'We have to be better,' Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. 'There's no excuses. It's been a long period of time here where we're not playing well. Got to fix it.'

The Nationals' fourth-inning outburst Wednesday cemented a return to the numbers the team has put up on offense. Washington ranks ssecond in the majors with 170 runs -- and last with 181 runs allowed.

Washington scored just 14 runs in its previous five games and was blanked for the second time this year in an 8-0 loss Tuesday in the series opener. That was before Washington scored its most runs and collected its second-most hits of the season Wednesday.

Curtis Mead had a career-high four hits for the Nationals, whose 15 hits ranked behind only a 17-hit outburst in a 13-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on March 30.

The Nationals have scored at least 10 runs in a game four times this season.

'A lot of good to talk about,' Nationals manager Blake Butera said. 'These nights are always fun.'

Peralta took the loss in his most recent start last Friday night after he allowed two runs over 5 2/3 innings as the Mets fell to the Colorado Rockies 4-3.

Mikolas didn't factor into the decision after serving as a bulk reliever on Friday, when he gave up two runs over 3 2/3 innings in the Nationals' 5-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

It was the third straight bulk relief appearance for Mikolas, who will make his first traditional start since April 8.

Peralta is 4-3 with a 5.82 ERA in eight career games (six starts) against the Nationals. Mikolas is 2-4 with a 5.17 ERA in nine games (eight starts) against the Mets.

--Field Level Media