Francisco Lindor drove in four runs with a solo homer and a bases-loaded double, leading the New York Mets to a 5-3 win over the host Miami Marlins on Friday night.
The first-place Mets, who snapped a two-game losing streak, improved to 21-5 after a loss. They have not lost three straight this year.
Miami starter Sandy Alcantara (7-3), who entered the game ranked second in the majors with a 1.72 ERA, allowed more than two earned runs for just the second time this year. He allowed six hits, no walks, five runs, four earned, in seven innings, driving his ERA up to 1.95.
Alcantara, who hadn’t allowed a homer since May 11, gave up two in this game, to Lindor and to Mark Canha.
Taijuan Walker (6-2) earned the win, allowing eight hits, two walks and three runs in six-plus innings. Edwin Diaz pitched a scoreless ninth for his 15th save.
New York opened the scoring with Lindor’s homer in the first. Lindor fell behind 1-2, laid off a couple of tough pitches and belted a high 99-mph fastball that Alcantara wanted lower in the zone.
Miami tied the score in the bottom of the first. Jon Berti singled but was picked off first base. The Marlins scored anyway on three straight singles by Jazz Chisholm Jr., Jorge Soler and Garrett Cooper.
In the fifth, New York took a 2-1 lead on Canha’s homer to left. Similar to Lindor’s blast, it was a two-strike fastball up in the zone. This fastball was a tick slower at 98 mph.
Miami tied the score 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth as Berti and Chisholm singled with one out. Berti scored on Soler’s chopper.
New York took a 5-2 lead in the pivotal sixth. Tomas Nido stroked an infield single, and Brandon Nimmo got a bunt hit to third. Starling Marte then bounced into an apparent double play.
But the Mets challenged the call, and Marte beat the relay at first. In addition, it was ruled that Marlins second baseman Willians Astudillo missed the tag on Nimmo. That left the bases loaded with no outs, and Lindor blasted his three-run double on a 3-1 slider.
Miami closed its deficit to 5-3 in the seventh as reliever Drew Smith walked three batters, including Cooper with the bases loaded. Adam Ottavino then entered and got Jesus Aguilar to fly out, ending the threat.
Berti was thrown out by Nido in the ninth on a play that was originally called safe. It stopped Berti’s streak of 21 consecutive stolen bases, which is tied for a franchise record.
–Field Level Media