Miami Marlins Drop Opener To Mets, Lose 4-3

Monday night saw the two hottest teams in the NL East square off as the division leading New York Mets welcomed the third place Miami Marlins to the Big Apple for a three game series.

While the Mets entered play a scant twenty-one games ahead of the Marlins in the standings, the Fish did manage to steal a series from them on the strength of some gutsy Martin Prado heroics last weekend in Miami.

Unfortunately those heroics were in the other dugout tonight, as the Mets erased a 3-1 deficit en route to a 4-3 victory.

While playing the role of spoiler successfully is a poor consolation prize considering the heartache Marlin players and fans have had to deal with this season, as my colleague Charlie Clarke points out, the team certainly has done an excellent job filling that role of late.

After taking series’ in the last week against both the Mets and the second place Washington Nationals, Miami seemed well on their way to continuing the recent run of success. That was until David Wright put New York up for good with his seventh inning double. Wright, who recently returned to the Mets, entered play Monday with a career average of .325 vs the Marlins. there isn’t a team in the majors he’s knocked in more runs against.

Rookie hurler Justin Nicolino was solid, and stellar early, surrendering only three runs in six innings of work. Unfortunately, two of those three runs came on a game tying home run courtesy of Travis d’Arnaud.

Wrapping up with our stat wrap, here’s nine stats worth knowing after nine innings of baseball.

J.T. Realmuto extended his hit streak to 10 games on a 5th inning single.
The only other rookie catcher to do that as a Marlin was Charles Johnson.
Dee Gordon stole his 51st base of the year.
He also went 2 for 4, gaining ground on Bryce Harper in the NL Batting race.
Derek Dietrich scored Miami’s first run AND knocked in their second.
Kyle Barraclough took the loss, the first of his major league career.
As a result, his ERA exploded…to 0.96.
Yoenis Cespedes hit a ball that hasn’t landed yet for his 35th HR.
On the most ironic play of the game, 2014 Gold Glove winner Christian Yelich gunned down 2014 Gold Glove winner Juan Lagares for the out at 2nd.

Do you have an article idea for Marlin Maniac? Tweet it out using #MMfanpitch for your chance to see your idea posted!

Follow Marlin Maniac on Twitter @MarlinManiac for all your Miami Marlins news, opinion and analysis!

Next: The Marlins to tender an offer to Alvarez?

Miami Marlins Drop Opener To Mets, Lose 4-3

More from Marlin Maniac

Schedule