Mets 6 Marlins 4 (Loan Depot Park, Miami, FL)
Mets record: 51-48
Mets streak: Won 1
WP - David Peterson (5-0)
LP - Yonny Chirinos (0-2)
SV - Edwin Diaz (12)
Seat on the Korner: Jeff McNeil
We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.
The Mets are heading home to play the Yankees, but Jeff McNeil problably doesn't want to leave Miami. McNeil hit his third home run of the series to open the Mets scoring in the second and followed with a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Has he found his stroke, or is it just that he loves playing the Marlins (he has 10 home runs in 88 games against the Fish, by far the most against any opponent)? By the way, McNeil nearly lost this honor with a brain freeze in the ninth, failing to cover second on what could have been a game-ending double play. But he atoned for that sin with two nice plays to end the game. Let's see what he has to say as Ralph puts him on the hot seat.
Need to Know
With the win, the Mets split the four-game series with the Marlins and are now even in the season series.
It was Bark in the Park Night at Loan Depot Park, with the attendance announced as 13,068 humans and 136 Canine Americans.
With a fourth-inning triple, Jose Iglesias ran his hitting streak to seven games. Over that span, he is 15 for 26, a .570 clip.
Francisco Alvarez, who loves trying to pick runners off first with a snap throw, succeeded in picking off Emmanuel Rivera with the Marlins threatening in the fourth. Pete Alonso got the tag on Rivera before the Marlin could land his foot on the bag, replays confirmed.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. started at second base for the Marlins, a pre-trade deadline showcasing. The common wisdom is that that more teams will be shopping for a second baseman than a center fielder. But Chisholm might not have impressed the scouts; he made a throwing error on his first chance.
The Subway Series pickes up at Yankee Stadium Tuesday night, with Jose Quintana, recovered from his virus, taking the mound against Luis Gil.
Turning Point
The Marlins, with home runs in the fifth and seventh, had cut the Mets' lead to 5-3 and had the heart of their lineup due up in the ninth. Francisco Lindor, who had homered in the fifth, giving the Mets a 5-1 lead at the time, hit his second home run of the game to provide what proved to be a much appreciated insurance run.
Three Keys
Lindor belts two
Francisco Lindor had another banner night, with two home runs and a walk. Lindor now has 26 doubles, 19 home runs and 19 steals on the season and is closing in on becoming the fifth player in franchise history to record multiple 20/20/20 seasons, joining Howard Johnson, Darryl Strawberry, Carlos Beltran and David Wright.
Peterson effective -- sort of
David Peterson, who in past years had first inning trouble, had another effective opening frame -- he hasn't given up first-inning run any of his nine starts. But Peterson also ran up his pitch count, walking four and falling behind on other batters before exiting after five innings and 88 pitches (49 for strikes).
Always Listen to Mom
A slumping Harrison Bader showed up clean-shaven, explaining that his mother had told him to shave his beard (remember, he stays in his childhood bedroom in Bronxville during the season). He proceeded to get two hits and make a great diving catch in the eighth. Sometimes, maybe mom does know best.
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