NEW YORK -- Nationals manager Dave Martinez was ejected in the eighth inning of a game against the Mets and didn't leave until making quite a scene.

Plate umpire Bruce Dreckman rang up Washington's Howie Kendrick for a strikeout as he tried to check his swing Thursday, then tossed the veteran player. Martinez charged from the dugout, spiked his hat and kicked dirt on home plate during an extended, heated argument.

Washington trailed 3-1 at the time and had already lost four in a row. Immediately after Martinez got ejected, the Nationals rallied for three runs. But the bullpen promptly gave up the lead in the bottom of the inning when the Mets' Carlos Gomez hit a three-run homer off reliever Wander Suero.

The Mets held on for a 6-4 victory. The blown save tied the Nationals with the Oakland Athletics for the major league lead with 10. Washington's bullpen entered Thursday's game with a major league-worst 6.89 ERA.

After starting the season with postseason aspirations, the Nats entered the game 19-30, a record better than only the Miami Marlins, Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals.

With Thursday's loss, Washington was swept in the four-game series and now has lost five straight games overall.

The Nationals are now 12 games under .500 for the first time since the end of the 2010 season, when they finished 69-93, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.