MIAMI — The Mets’ patchwork pitching plan worked out just fine Friday night, but a sputtering lineup couldn’t help the cause.
After scoring only two runs in Washington a day earlier and escaping with a victory, the Mets went backward. Juan Soto homered in the first inning and silence followed for the Mets in a 2-1 loss to the Marlins.
The Mets, who had only four base-runners, wasted a solid pitching performance from Tobias Myers, Sean Manaea and Jonah Tong, who combined to limit the Marlins to five hits.
Tong was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse before the game, with Craig Kimbrel designated for assignment.
Soto had the Mets’ only two hits (he also singled in the fourth) until A.J. Ewing’s single in the eighth. But Ewing was thrown out attempting to steal second for the final out. In the ninth, Carson Benge drew a two-out walk from Pete Fairbanks before Bo Bichette was retired.
Soto’s fourth home run in as many games gave the Mets a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Soto’s 449-foot blast to right-center against Eury Perez continued a sizzling stretch for the All-Star outfielder, who began the day with a 1.357 OPS over his previous eight games. Soto’s thunder included a two-homer game on Wednesday in Washington.
Tobias Myers, as the opener, worked 1 ¹/₃ innings and allowed one earned run. Esteury Ruiz doubled and stole third, before he scored on Owen Caissie’s ground out. Myers served as an opener for a second time this season.
Caissie’s RBI single in the fourth against Manaea put the Mets in a 2-1 hole. Manaea got two quick outs in the inning before Ruiz hit a slicing fly ball to right that bounced as Benge slid toward the foul line. Ruiz raced to third base.
Nick Morabito’s diving catch in left helped prevent a run in the fifth. Javier Sanoja doubled leading off the inning and stole third with two outs before Connor Norby hit a sinking line drive that Morabito snagged on a dive.
Jakob Marsee’s leaping catch near the top of the center-field fence deprived Brett Baty of an extra-base hit for the Mets’ final out in the sixth.
Manaea gave the Mets 3 ²/₃ innings in relief and allowed one earned run on four hits with three strikeouts. It was the lefty’s first appearance since last Sunday in the Subway Series, when he allowed two earned runs over four innings in relief.
