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MIAMI – Their season ended at loanDepot park last year, and Sunday sure seemed like déjà vu for the Mets.
Of course, there are still four months remaining – plenty of time for a change in course – but finding hope for this beleaguered bunch is a challenge, especially as the tougher part of the schedule awaits in the coming weeks.
On Sunday, with their best hitter sidelined, the Mets went from sluggish to comatose in a 4-0 loss that completed the Marlins’ three-game sweep.
Heriberto Hernandez’s walk-off grand slam against Devin Williams sent the Mets to a fourth straight loss, as they completed a 2-5 road trip. Christopher Morel’s leadoff double against Williams, who had a streak of 10 straight scoreless appearances snapped, began the winning rally. After a sacrifice bunt moved the lead run to third and Liam Hicks walked, the Mets loaded the bases with an intentional walk to Xavier Edwards. Hernandez cleared the center field fence on the second pitch.
Juan Soto was scratched from the lineup because of illness – manager Carlos Mendoza indicated sickness has been spreading through the clubhouse in recent days.
The lineup change removed one of the few productive players in the Mets lineup. Soto has a 1.342 OPS with six homers over his last 10 games. MJ Melendez took Soto’s lineup spot.
Christian Scott had his best outing this season, allowing only four hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander struck out five and departed with the game scoreless, after Jakob Marsee’s two-out single in the sixth.
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Scott loaded the bases in the third with one out, allowing a single to Javier Sanoja and walks to Hicks and Edwards before striking out Owen Caissie and retiring Kyle Stowers.
Scott also eluded trouble in the fourth, striking out Morel and retiring Sanoja after Conor Norby got plunked with one out. Otto Lopez reached on an infield single leading off.
The Mets put multiple runners on base in the second, fourth and fifth innings but did not score. In the second, Hayden Senger was retired for the final out after a two-out walk to Tyrone Taylor. Marcus Semien started the inning by reaching on Sanoja’s throwing error. I
n the fourth Brett Baty singled and Melendez walked before Taylor was retired for the final out. Bo Bichette and A.J. Ewing reached on consecutive singles in the fifth before Vientos became the final out.
In the sixth, Baty drew a leadoff walk before Semien grounded into a double play. Melendez got hit by a pitch before Taylor was retired.
Carson Benge walked and stole second in the seventh, but was left stranded at third when Ewing struck out to conclude the frame.
Ewing threw a strike to the plate in the bottom of the inning to nail Sanoja attempting to score from second on Edwards’ single through the middle against Brooks Raley. The Marlins loaded the bases with two outs on Caissie’s infield single before Raley retired Stowers.
Melendez singled leading off the ninth, but pinch-runner Nick Morabito got thrown out attempting to steal second.
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