The New York Mets were the team at Citi Field hoping to begin a push into the playoff race on Tuesday night.
But the last-place Miami Marlins were the team displaying a previously elusive winning formula.
The Mets will look to avoid a series loss on Wednesday night when they host the Marlins in the second contest of a three-game set.
David Peterson (1-0, 3.09 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Mets against fellow left-hander Braxton Garrett (2-1, 5.81).
Marlins southpaw Jesus Luzardo allowed two runs on four hits over 5 2/3 solid innings Tuesday night. A trio of relievers combined to limit the Mets to one walk the rest of the way in Miami’s 4-2 victory.
The loss frittered away the momentum the Mets built Sunday, when they scored three times in the ninth inning before hanging on to edge the Philadelphia Phillies 6-5 in London.
The win salvaged a split of the two-game series for the Mets, who arrived in London after outscoring the Washington Nationals 23-11 in a three-game sweep from June 3-5.
Mark Vientos gave the Mets a 2-1 lead with a two-run double in the second inning Tuesday. New York, however, didn’t get a runner beyond first base over the final seven frames.
The loss served as a reminder of the thin margin for error possessed by the Mets, who are 28-37 and ahead of only the Marlins and Colorado Rockies in the National League. New York is 3 1/2 games out of the third wild-card spot but has six teams ahead of it.
“Any loss hurts, but especially since it felt like we were flat,” Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor told the New York Post. “We all have to do a better job of bringing energy. We tried, but it didn’t happen.”
The Marlins were energized by a return to form for Luzardo as well as struggling shortstop Tim Anderson.
Luzardo gave up a season-high nine runs over a season-low 4 1/3 innings in a 9-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in his previous start on June 4. He retired 13 of the final 17 batters he faced on Tuesday following Vientos’ double. He threw a first-pitch strike to 17 of 23 batters overall.
Anderson, who missed the previous three games while on the bereavement list, went 2-for-4 with an RBI to raise his average to .195. He went from first to third base on a fifth-inning groundout by Nick Fortes before scoring the tying run on Bryan De La Cruz’s double.
Anderson also helped limit the damage in the second, when he ranged behind second base to field Francisco Alvarez’s grounder.
“Glad to have him back,” Luzardo said. “He had a great game offensively and defensively. When he’s going, we’re going.”
Peterson earned the win in his most recent start June 4, allowing two runs over 6 2/3 innings in the Mets’ 6-3 win over the Washington Nationals. He is 2-2 with a 2.06 ERA in seven career games (six starts) against the Marlins.
Garrett took the loss last Wednesday after allowing five runs over 2 2/3 innings as the Marlins dropped a 5-3 decision to the Rays. He is 0-2 with a 4.91 ERA in eight games (seven starts) against the Mets.
–Field Level Media
