Mishaps spoil Paul Blackburn’s strong outing, Marlins avoid sweep after handing Mets 3-2 loss
NEW YORK — Rain drenched Citi Field hours before first pitch. Then the Miami Marlins made sure to not let the New York Mets enjoy the sunshine afterwards.
Marlins outfielder Derek Hill’s RBI single off Phil Maton scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning that led to the Mets’ 3-2 loss on Sunday afternoon. Before the go-ahead run, Reed Garrett picked off a runner, but also walked three in the frame. Manager Carlos Mendoza called on Maton, who faced Hill with runners on first and second with two outs. Hill then hit a single that found Jeff McNeil.
McNeil fired a good throw to catcher Francisco Alvarez at home, which should’ve gotten Jonah Bride out at the plate. But Alvarez failed to secure the ball inside his mitt, causing the Mets to fall behind.
The loss spoiled a bounce-back outing for starter Paul Blackburn, who allowed just one earned run in six innings of work. And with the series win already secured, the Mets failed to get a sweep that would’ve been the icing on the cake after dropping the previous two series.
Blackburn’s lone run came in the top of the third inning when Otto Lopez scored on Nick Fortes’ sacrifice fly. Blackburn also allowed just one walk, four hits and struck out four. He threw 92 pitches and his ERA now sits at 4.19.
The Mets later tied the game, 1-1, on Francisco Lindor’s RBI single in the fifth.
Brandon Nimmo’s home run to right field in the sixth put his team up, 2-1. Both of the Mets’ runs were charged to Marlins starter Valente Bellozo, who departed after 5 1/3 innings of work. The right-hander allowed seven hits, two walks and struck out four.
Nimmo later left the game after sustaining a shoulder injury during his at-bat in the seventh inning. Mendoza told reporters postgame the outfielder will undergo an MRI on Monday.
The Marlins tied the game at two in the seventh after Hill scored on Huascar Brazoban’s wild pitch. Then the Marlins’ outfielder essentially finished it off in the eighth with the go-ahead single.
The Mets, however, threatened in the ninth. Lindor came a few feet away from hitting a three-run walk-off homer to center field. With Calvin Faucher on the mound, Lindor hammered a sinker that eventually landed in Cristian Pache’s glove. Pache traveled 87 feet to snag the ball.
The Mets will be back in action Monday to face the Baltimore Orioles. Two lefties are set to take the mound, with David Peterson (3.04 ERA) scheduled to go against Trevor Rogers (4.89 ERA).
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