Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets (46-26) faced the Miami Marlins (32-37) in Miami Friday evening. The game marked the start of the second series of the season between the two teams. The Marlins’ young ace Sandy Alcantara got the start against Taijuan Walker for the Mets. During the last series between these two teams, the only game the Mets lost was the one started by Alcantara. This time Francisco Lindor had Alcantara’s number, and the Mets won 5-3.

Lindor scored the first run of the game for the Mets, hitting a solo home run with two outs in the top of the first inning. His homer was the only Mets’ hit for the first four innings, as Alcantara was rolling to start the game. Alcantara also gave up a solo home run to Mark Canha in the fifth inning but was otherwise pitching well to that point.

While Alcantara was mowing down Mets hitters for the first five innings, Walker was holding his own for the Mets. He tossed three scoreless innings from the second to the fourth innings. But when the Mets gave Walker the lead twice in the first five innings, Walker was unable to hold the lead. In the first inning, a single by Garrett Cooper scored Jazz Chisholm Jr. from third tying the game at 1-1. In the fifth inning, a Jorge Soler groundout scored Jon Berti from third, tying the game at 2-2.

The Mets’ fortunes changed in the sixth inning. Tomas Nido led off with an infield single and Brandon Nimmo followed with a bunt base-hit. Starling Marte then hit a ground ball to second and the Marlins had a chance for a double play. Luckily for the Mets, the Marlins botched it.

Second baseman Willians Astudillo, who came on in place of an injured Chisholm Jr., failed to tag Nimmo with the ball in his glove and was unable to throw Marte out at first. The second base umpire incorrectly called Nimmo out on the tag, but the call was corrected on a double challenge by the Mets (Marte was also incorrectly called out at first before the challenge).

Lindor then came to the plate with the bases loaded and no one out. He crushed a double to right-center field and cleared the bases, giving the Mets a 5-2 lead.

Unlike with the first two leads he was given, Walker shut the Marlins down emphatically in the bottom of the sixth inning. He struck out the first two batters and then got Jesus Sanchez to ground out to first, giving himself a 1-2-3 shutdown inning.

Walker stayed in for the seventh inning, but after a long at-bat by Jacob Stallings, Walker reached 99 pitches and his day was done. Drew Smith came on in relief and promptly walked the first two batters he faced to load the bases. He struck out the next two batters and had a chance to get out of the mess, but he walked the next batter, driving in a run and making it 5-3 Mets.

Adam Ottavino came on to try and get the final out of the seventh inning. He got Jesus Aguilar to fly out to center, ending the inning and preserving the Mets’ lead. Ottavino stayed in for the bottom of the eighth, and pitched a scoreless inning, thanks in part to a nice double play turned by Luis Guillorme and Lindor.

The Mets went down quietly in the top of the ninth, striking out in order. Edwin Diaz came on in the bottom of the ninth, trying for his 15th save of the year. He got a little help on an ill-advised stolen base attempt by Jon Berti and pitched a scoreless inning for the save.

Player of the Game: Francisco Lindor

Lindor was as hot as can be against Alcantara. His homer in the first inning was only the fifth home run Alcantara had allowed in 100 innings. When Lindor came up to the plate with the bases loaded in the sixth, Lindor more than rose to the occasion with a bases-clearing double. It’s nice to see his bat starting to get hot again after the injury to his finger.

On Deck

The Mets and Marlins will play game two of their series Saturday at 4:10 p.m. The game will be aired on Pix 11. Chris Bassitt is starting for the Mets, while Trevor Rogers is starting for the Marlins.