Game 8 of 162
Mets 9 – Marlins 3 (Citi Field)
Mets record: 4-4
Mets streak: Won 1
WP – Tylor Megill (2-0)
LP – Edward Cabrera (0-1)
Seat on the Korner
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.
Tylor Megill tossed six scoreless innings to pick up the win, his second in as many starts against the Marlins this season. He’s now 6-0 in seven career April starts. The right-hander faced two moments of adversity. Megill worked around a Luis Arraez one-out double in the 3rd inning. And then in the fourth, he was struck above the ankle by a 108 MPH line drive off the bat of Jean Segura. Megill remained in the game, finished the inning and pitched two more scoreless frames. He struck out three, walked two and allowed three hits.
Need to Know
*The Mets won their first game at Citi Field and are now 42-21 all-time in home openers. They also ended a three-game losing streak after being swept in Milwaukee by the Brewers earlier this week.
*New York led 6-0 until Garrett Cooper hit a three-run home run off Dennis Santana with two outs in the top of the 8th inning. Cooper has two homers against the Mets this season. Nine of his 41 career home runs have come against the Mets.
*Francisco Lindor made a slick backhand play and strong throw from deep short for the final out after a bullet off the bat of Avisail Garcia with the Marlins rallying in the eighth.
*Lindor then slammed a two-run home run to deep left in the bottom of the eighth and Pete Alonso followed with a solo shot. It was the first time the Mets went back-to-back this season.
*Brandon Nimmo walked four times for the first time in his career.
*Starling Marte hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot in the 6th inning.
*Slow-footed Daniel Vogelbach was credited with an RBI infield single in the 3rd inning after no one covered first base on his slow roller to the right side with the bases loaded and two out.
*Another Met not known for his speed, catcher Tomas Nido, scored from second on a single to left field by Alonso in the 4th inning. The throw home hit Nido in the foot as he was sliding.
*Nido drove in his first run of the season with a SAC Fly in the 7th inning.
*Adam Ottavino bounced back after allowing a walk off home run in Milwaukee on Wednesday with a perfect 7th inning Friday. He recorded two strikeouts, each looking.
*Francisco Alvarez officially was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse after Omar Narvaez landed on the IL with a calf strain that could sideline the catcher 8-9 weeks. He did not play Friday.
*Edwin Diaz, his right leg in a brace following knee surgery, was the final player introduced during pregame ceremonies and received a huge ovation from the crowd as he limped to the top dugout step.
*Justin Verlander told reporters pregame that he’s feeling better and playing catch at 75 percent. The veteran right-hander said he believes he’ll be able to rejoin the rotation later this month. Inflammation has reduced under his armpit since Verlander landed on the IL.
Turning Point
The Mets had wasted scoring opportunities in each of the first two innings when Arraez doubled to deep right with one out in the 3rd inning for the Marlins. Megill refocused and got tough Jorge Soler to pop out to Lindor. Then Cooper, the Met killer, shot one to the right side that McNeil flagged down and threw out the Marlins first baseman to keep the game 0-0. New York broke through with two runs in the bottom of the inning and never looked back en-route to the win.
3 Keys
Edward Cabrera takes walk on wild side
The Marlins starter walked seven batters in 2.2 innings before being removed after walking Mark Canha with the bases loaded to force in the game’s first run. Cabrera threw 85 pitches, only 47 for strikes, though did limit the damage. He threw 30 pitches in the 1st inning but worked around a leadoff walk to Brandon Nimmo. There were another 20 pitches and two walks leading off the second. And in the 3rd inning, Cabrera walked the bases loaded with no one out. He struck out Alonso and Jeff McNeil looking before walking Canha on a 3-2 pitch. Cabrera did not allow a hit and the Mets were 0-for-7 with RISP against him, failing to put the game away early.
Mets take what Marlins give them
It wasn’t just Cabrera who struggled on the mound for Miami. Marlins pitchers walked 12 batters, hit one and allowed three home runs. Yet the final score could’ve been much worse. The Mets were just 2-for-15 with RISP, a ghastly stat that on most days would’ve come back to haunt them. But they were gifted so many opportunities, there was no losing on this day.
Eduardo Escobar booed at home opener
The Mets third baseman was 0-for-4 and left seven men on base, drawing the first boos at Citi Field this season. He’s 2-for-24 at the plate so far in 2023 and hitless in eight times up with men in scoring position. On the bright side, he had a solid day defensively and did drive in his first run of the season and a hard-hit fielder’s choice with the bases loaded in the 7th inning. However, he elicited more groans when he was thrown out at second tagging on a fly out to left field immediately after the RBI.
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