The Mets (72-62) fell to the Marlins (63-71) by a score of 7-4 on Tuesday evening at Citi Field, snapping their three-game winning streak after sweeping the Phillies earlier this week. Defensive miscues proved costly, as three errors led to five of Miami’s seven runs being unearned. With the division race tightening, the next three games against the Marlins will be crucial for New York in solidifying their case for the NL East crown.
Clay Holmes got the start for New York, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits across five innings, with one walk and two strikeouts. His first run allowed came in the opening frame, when back-to-back one-out singles set up a sacrifice fly that put Miami ahead, 1-0.
New York quickly responded in the home half of the inning. Francisco Lindor singled to lead off, Pete Alonso doubled, and Brandon Nimmo followed with an RBI knock to give New York a 2-1 lead.
Miami pulled even in the third. Holmes hit the leadoff batter, who advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a fielder’s choice. With two outs, Holmes committed a missed-catch error that allowed another run to cross, giving the Marlins a 3-2 lead. Otto Lopez then added an RBI single to extend the advantage to 4-2.
The Mets clawed back in the fifth. After Juan Soto walked, Alonso launched a two-run homer to even things up at 4-4. It was his 30th of the year.
Ryne Stanek pitched the sixth inning, working around two walks to hold the tie.
Unfortunately, things unraveled for the Mets in the seventh. On the bump in relief of Stanek, Gregory Soto gave up a leadoff single, and a fielder’s choice combined with a fielding error by Alonso allowed runners at first and second. A single put Miami ahead 5-4, and a passed ball moved two runners into scoring position. After an RBI single, Soto was lifted after recording just one out for Kevin Herget. Then, a sacrifice fly capped the three-run inning, pushing the Marlins back in front, 7-4.
Lindor knocked a leadoff single in the seventh, but nothing came of it. Of note, it was his seventh three-hit game in the month of August.
Herget tossed a clean eighth and ninth inning, allowing just one hit and striking out two in his outing. But New York could not overcome the tough defensive showing on Tuesday. Soto (1-5, 3.38 ERA) took the loss.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Pete Alonso earns Tuesday’s honor with a 2-for-4 appearance at the plate, including a double, a home run, and two RBIs. It was his 30th home run of the season as he continues to extend his lead as the most prolific home run hitter in Mets’ history.
He joined Albert Pujols as the only hitters in MLB history to have at least 30 home runs in each of their first six full scheduled seasons, per Michael Mayer of MMO.
ON DECK
Mets’ top pitching prospect, Jonah Tong, will make his MLB debut as New York’s starter on Friday evening. Tong has had a spectacular season in the minors, going 10-5 with a 1.43 ERA in 113 ⅔ innings across 22 starts between Double-A and Triple-A this season.
Eury Pérez (6-3, 3.44 ERA) will take the mound for Miami. In his last outing versus the Blue Jays, he threw six innings and allowed two runs on three hits, with one walk and four strikeouts.
First pitch is set for 7:10 pm on SNY for the second of the four-game series.
