Marlins overtake Mets on scoreboard and in standings, 5-2
MIAMI (AP) The Marlins overtook the Mets on the scoreboard and in the standings Saturday.
And for the second game in a row, Miami beat New York with a rookie pitcher making his first major league start.
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,'' deGrom said. ''I should have gone over there and got it.''
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, I just kept looking up in the stands, and they were so big, all the way up to the sky,'' the Venezuelan right-hander said. ''This is where I wanted to be. I just needed to calm myself down."
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, 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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