MJ Melendez’s first career home run powers the Mets over the Marlins in extras
On a night when the Mets were giving their fans things to hide, MJ Melendez saved his team from hiding after a bad loss.
After the Mets blew a four-run lead, Melendez hit his first career walk-off home run with one out in the 10th inning on Friday for a 9-7 victory over the Marlins.
It was a wild finish that included Marlins shortstop Juan Soto with first base open and the game-winning run on second base. In what was clearly an intentional walk, Soto flied out and Melendez — who came off the bench earlier in the game — delivered.
It took seven batters for the Mets to score twice as many runs on Friday as they did over three games without the same pitching staff last weekend.
Before most of the 39,386 fans at Citi Field had finished their first beer, AJ Ewing and Brett Baty both delivered two-run singles in the first inning and the Mets’ had their first four-run rally without the help of a ghost runner since May 6.
And they needed all the odd outbursts because ace Freddy Peralta ran out of gas in an inefficient 94 and the back of the bullpen.
Marlins starter Max Meyer wasn’t as confused as he was when he held the Mets to one inning in seven innings last Saturday in a series that highlighted the inefficiency of the players. The Mets combined for two runs during the three-game sweep.
After two walks and one out to load the bases, Ewing singled up the middle. He then stole second base to line Baty’s two-out one-hopper into right field.
The Mets’ only other four-run inning in the last 20 games was against the Nationals, when they went 10 in the top of the 12th and retired reliever Jorbit Vivas.
But the 4-0 lead did not last. And 5-1 and 6-2 did not lead.
Against the backdrop of Mets president David Stearns saying Friday afternoon that “it’s too early to have serious trade talks,” Peralta — their most expensive recruiting chip — went through the first eight outings. He tied Xavier Edwards at third base after a 408-yard RBI double with three outs during the third inning.
But Peralta never recovered in the 38 pitches — including 12 singles — needed to get through the third. He allowed an RBI double in the fourth and two runs in the fifth.
Peralta squandered a chance to win when he couldn’t get the final out in the fifth. The dribbler was driven under Mark Vientos’ glove in the first inning to score one run and set up another as the Marlins pulled to within 6-4.
Manager Carlos Mendoza fired three shots to get into the seventh despite the unavailability of closer Devin Williams even after Thursday’s day off. Williams threw 34 pitches in the save in Wednesday’s win.
Instead of sticking with left-hander Brooks Raley, who recorded a single in the seventh, or turning to regular Luke Weaver, Mendoza called on Tobias Myers to protect a 7-5 lead with two lefts in the eighth. Wrong decision.
The Marlins completed their comeback with Owen Cassie’s two-run home run into the right field bullpen with one out in the eighth.
Thanks to Melendez, Mendoza didn’t need to borrow one of the sunglasses and mustache packages the Mets handed out to the crowd in honor of former Mets manager Bobby Valentine, who returned to the dugout in disguise after being fired during his tenure.
The Mets scored runs in the third and fourth innings in completely different ways to open up a 6-2 lead.
Vientos smashed a 445-yard home run to second in left field and Luis Torrens lined a two-footer that led to a run-scoring error on a limited throw by pitcher Joe Mack.
