Miami Marlins Comeback Falls Seven Runs Short

The Miami Marlins got ahead quickly, but lacked staying power Monday night against the Mets.

Matt Joyce opened the scoring in the first inning when he doubled home Jonathan Villar with one out to give the Miami Marlins a 1-0 lead. It was the only time the Marlins would be ahead all night.

The Mets loaded the bases against Marlins starter Jordan Yamamoto in the second inning, and scored two on a Dominic Smith double. Amed Rosario bought another run home, and Yamamoto’s night was over after just 1 1/3 innings. All three runs were earned, bringing his seasonal ERA to an unsightly 11.42.

The Marlins brought in Sterling Sharp, who stranded two in scoring position to end the second down 3-1. The Mets got to Sharp in the third, with a two-run Robinson Cano homer.

The 5-1 score remained until the fifth, when Pete Alonso hit a leadoff homer off Marlins reliever Josh D. Smith. Villar got one back in the bottom of the frame with a leadoff homer of his own, but the Marlins still trailed by four. It wouldn’t get better.

The sixth inning started with Brandon Nimmo tripling off new Marlins reliever Justin Shafer. Nimmo came home on a Jeff McNeil sacrifice fly to make it 7-2. Cano soon afterward hit his second two-run shot of the night, and Alonso followed him with a solo shot, also his second of the night to make it 10-2.

Josh A. Smith came in to pitch two clean innings, allowing two hits and a walk but no runs. He struck out two. The ninth inning would see the Marlins turn to Logan Forsythe for some pitching. Despite Forsythe never having pitched in a major or minor league game, he managed to limit the Mets to one run on two hits. Forsythe also led the Marlins in strike percentage, getting 19-of-27 over the plate for a 70.4 percent clip.

Monte Harrison opened the ninth inning with the Marlins trailing by nine runs, but led off with a double to left on a 1-1 pitch. After Lewis Brinson struck out on three pitches, Lewin Diaz drove Harrison home with a single. Ryan Lavarnway followed with a single, and Eddy Alvarez drew a walk to load the bases.

Jon Berti singled into left field to score Diaz, but Sierra and Villar flew out to end the game.

The Mets outhit the Miami Marlins 14-to-11, with the Marlins leaving 15 men on base. They were just three-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Tomorrow night, the Marlins will face David Peterson (3-1, 2.91 ERA) starting at 7:10PM EDT.