The Marlins overtook the Mets on the scoreboard and in the standings Saturday.
And for the second game in a row
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Brian Anderson hit a two-run homer off Jacob deGrom and the Marlins climbed out of last place in the NL East by rallying past the reeling Mets, 5-2.
”We’re not in last place? Awesome,” said J.T. Riddle, whose scratch RBI single put Miami ahead to stay.
The Mets (32-48) lost for the 10th time in 11 games and fell into last place for the first time this year. They finished 5-21 this month for the worst June in franchise history, and they’ve plummeted from 10 games over .500 to 15 under at an earlier date than any team in major league history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
”It was not the goal when we came in,” deGrom said. ”This is the complete opposite. Nobody’s happy with that.”
Meanwhile, the rebuilding Marlins (34-50) went 14-14 in June, their best month this season.
They seem to get better as they get younger. Pablo Lopez (1-0) allowed two runs in six innings in his major league debut less than 24 hours after Sandy Alcantara won his first big league start Friday. Both are 22.
The last time two pitchers on the same National League team earned wins in their first career starts in consecutive days was in 1967 when Gary Nolan and Mel Queen did so for the Reds, according to Stats LLC.
DeGrom took a 2-0 lead into the sixth, but Anderson’s fifth homer tied it. Riddle beat out a dribbler to the first baseman for a two-out RBI hit that put Miami ahead.
”I thought that swinging bunt was foul
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Another fielding lapse cost the Mets in the seventh. J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run double after an error by shortstop Amed Rosario prolonged the inning.
Drew Steckenrider pitched a perfect eighth, and Kyle Barraclough earned his eighth save with a 1-2-3 ninth. Steckenrider has thrown 15 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, and Barraclough has thrown 20 2/3 – two more reasons the Marlins are on the rise.
”We’re gaining some type of identity as to what kind of games we need to play to win,” manager Don Mattingly said. ”We’re not going to outslug anybody. We’re going to have to pitch and play defense and scratch for runs.”
The Mets’ runs came on solo homers against Lopez. Jose Bautista hit his fifth of the year, his third with the Mets. Todd Frazier added his ninth.
DeGrom (5-4), who departed after six innings trailing 3-2, fell to 1-4 in his past five starts despite allowing only 15 runs. His ERA, lowest in the majors coming into the game, rose to 1.84.
”I am definitely frustrated,” he said. ”I’m tired of losing.”
ROOKIE PITCHERS
Lopez was the 17th rookie and 12th rookie pitcher used by Marlins, both most in the majors.
”As soon as I stepped out of the dugout
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Four pitchers have made their first major league start against New York this year, and they’ve combined to go 3-0 with an ERA of 1.57. But at the moment, the Mets are having trouble beating anybody.
”It’s difficult right now,” first-year manager Mickey Callaway said. ”I know the players are feeling it. I know the fans are feeling.”
EFFORT ISSUE?
Mets pinch-hitter Jose Reyes appeared not to run out a grounder to short in the seventh.
”It looked like that to us, too,” Callaway said. ”I went to talk to Rey-Rey, and he said he felt something out of the box and he was scared he was going to pull something. He kind of pulled up halfway. I thought that maybe he was frustrated, but he felt something coming out of the box.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: RHP Noah Syndergaard (finger) and LHP Jason Vargas (calf) are expected to start against each other in a simulated game next week at Single-A Port St. Lucie.
UP NEXT
Mets LHP Steven Matz (3-5
Carlos Dunlap Jerse , 3.69), who has thrown 13 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings at Marlins Park, is scheduled to start the series finale Sunday against RHP Dan Straily (3-3, 4.82).
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Texas was expected to be one of the major leagues’ top power teams this season despite being in rebuilding mode.
The Rangers proved that premise to be true when they flexed their considerable muscle on Friday and ripped five home runs, three of them in the first two innings, to set the tone in an 11-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox in the first game of a three-game series at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.
The White Sox will try to get back on track with left-hander Carlos Rodon (1-2, 3.70 ERA) taking the hill Saturday to oppose ageless Rangers right-hander Bartolo Colon (4-5, 4.72).
The Rangers’ win provided a night off for closer Keone Kela, who on Wednesday saved his 20th game in 20 chances, the longest season-opening streak in club history. Kela broke Francisco Cordero’s 2004 record of 19 consecutive saves and now has converted 22 straight chances dating to May 2017.
The 22 consecutive saves constitute the third-longest streak in Texas history. Kela is nine saves shy of tying Joe Nathan’s club record of 31 consecutive converted saves in 2012.
“It’s a nice comfort zone to have
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It looks as if the White Sox will be without right-hander Miguel Gonzales for a while longer. Gonzales, who has been on the 60-day disabled list since April 18 with right rotator cuff inflammation, returned from his rehab assignment after experiencing soreness in a throwing session after the start for Triple-A Charlotte on Sunday.
“It’s a little setback,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria told mlb.com about Gonzales’ situation. “He still felt a little something so he’s going to be re-seen, re-evaluated, and we’ll see where we go from there.”
Gonzalez opened the season in the rotation but was 0-3 with a 12.41 ERA before landing on the disabled list. This is the second time he has had to restart his rehab.
Rodon is scheduled to make his fifth start of the season. It will be his third start on the road and fifth career start against Texas. He picked up the win in his last start on June 24 at home against Oakland when he allowed two runs and seven hits with three strikeouts in eight innings.
Rodon is 1-0 with a 3.91 ERA and .245 opponents’ average in his previous starts against the Rangers.
Colon will head to the mound for the 17th time this season and make his 15th start. He enters with 244 career wins, most in MLB history by a native of the Dominican Republic. He recently passed Juan Marichal (243) and is one win shy of matching Nicaragua’s Dennis Martinez (245) for most victories by a native of Latin America.
Colon ranks among AL leaders in pitches per inning (fifth, 15.0) and SO/BB ratio (ninth, 4.15) but has also permitted 19 home runs, third most in the AL. He will pitch on an extra days’ rest after taking loss in the Rangers’ 2-0 defeat on Sunday at Minnesota.
The former White Sox pitcher (12 starts in 2009) did not face Chicago in the clubs’ earlier series. He is 11-8 with a 3.84 ERA in 24 career appearances (all starts) against Chicago.
