Marlins held scoreless by Mets after 5 1/2-hour rain delay
NEW YORK (AP) — Zack Wheeler and Jay Bruce helped the New York Mets jump on the Miami Marlins following a 5-hour, 35-minute rain delay, capping a long, soggy day with a 13-0 win early Thursday morning.
The teams were set to play a single-admission doubleheader Wednesday to make up Monday's rainout, but the nightcap was pushed to Thursday. They now will play two games beginning at 3:10 p.m. to conclude a four-game series.
Showers fell throughout the day at Citi Field, and it was still misting when Wheeler finally threw the first pitch at 9:45 p.m.
Wheeler (11-7) tossed one-hit ball into the seventh and allowed four hits over eight innings. Paul Sewald got the final out at 12:15 a.m.
Bruce hit a grand slam, Jeff McNeil had three hits and Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith each homered for the Mets, rewarding the several hundred rain-soaked fans who stuck around to watch a matchup between NL East laggards.
Most waited out the delay in the stadium's covered areas, pouring back beer or coffee to pass the time. A handful of fans along the first-base line chanted "Let's play ball!" to the tune of "Let's go Mets!" On the suite level, others napped on couches.
The Mets closed a number of concession stands, and some stadium personnel were dismissed hours before the first pitch.
It could've been worse. The White Sox and Rangers were delayed in Chicago for 7 1/2 hours on Aug. 13, 1990, though it's unclear if that was the longest delay in major league history. That game was finally postponed around 9 p.m.
The Marlins seemed sluggish from the start, and the Mets poured it on. Smith scored on Jose Reyes' second-inning double after relay man Starlin Castro held the ball, apparently unaware that Smith had just rounded third. Third baseman Brian Anderson then misplayed Tomas Nido's grounder, allowing Reyes to score.
McNeil added an RBI triple to make it 3-0, and also had an RBI single in the sixth. The rookie raised his batting average to .340 in 46 games.
Rosario added a three-run homer in the fourth off Trevor Richards (3-9). Rosario entered the game batting .322 with a .488 slugging percentage since Aug. 10.
Bruce and Smith went deep during a seven-run sixth inning that capped the scoring.
COME BACK SOON!
The Mets are inviting fans with tickets to Wednesday's scheduled doubleheader back for any home game from Sept. 25-27 or any Monday-Thursday game next April, excluding opening day.
STOPPING BY
Top Mets prospect Peter Alonso was finally in uniform at Citi Field, just not as part of New York's active roster. Alonso was honored on the field as the Mets' minor league player of the year about two weeks after New York frustrated fans by declining to promote him to the major leagues.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: RHP Dan Straily is likely to miss the rest of the season with a strained oblique. ... Miami is still trying to sort out who will start Saturday's game at Philadelphia.
UP NEXT
Neither team immediately announced pitching plans for Thursday. Marlins RHP Jeff Brigham (0-1, 9.00 ERA) and Mets LHP Jason Vargas (5-9, 6.75) were supposed to pitch Wednesday's nightcap, while Miami rookie RHP Sandy Alcantara (2-0, 0.75) was set to face Mets LHP Steven Matz (5-11, 4.17) on Thursday before the doubleheader shift.
