The New York Mets bullpen squandered another brilliant outing by Jacob deGrom on Wednesday night before Wilson Ramos delivered the tie-breaking RBI single in the eighth inning to give the host Mets a 5-4 victory over the Miami Marlins.
The Mets won for the first time since Aug. 19 - their last game before they were sidelined five days after a player and coach tested positive for COVID-19. The Marlins had their three-game winning streak snapped.
deGrom allowed a run on two hits and walked two while tying a career high with 14 strikeouts over seven innings. He exited with a 4-1 lead, but it took a trio of relievers just 31 pitches to fritter away the advantage.
Justin Wilson gave up three hits while recording one out. Edwin Diaz inherited the bases-loaded situation and struck out Jesus Sanchez before giving up an RBI infield single to Jesus Aguilar. Diaz then walked Corey Dickerson to force home the second run and left with an injury after throwing a 1-1 pitch to Brian Anderson.
Brad Brach (1-0) entered and completed the game-tying walk. Brach then retired Lewin Diaz on a flyout.
Since reaching the majors in 2014, deGrom has thrown at least seven innings, allowed one run or fewer and not received a win 22 times. He has an 0.74 ERA in those outings.
The Mets, who also blew an eighth-inning lead for deGrom against the Marlins in his previous start Aug. 19, went ahead in the bottom of the eighth off Nick Vincent (1-2).
Robinson Cano led off the eighth with a single and Pete Alonso flew out. Jeff McNeil followed with a potential double play comebacker, but Vincent bobbled the ball and had to settle for the out at first as pinch-runner Billy Hamilton moved to second. Hamilton scored easily on Ramos' single.
Brach issued a one-out walk to Jonathan Villar in the ninth, but Villar was caught stealing for the second out and Miguel Rojas flew out.
Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo hit solo homers for the Mets while Cano had a run-scoring double and Dominic Smith had an RBI groundout.
The Marlins scored their lone run off deGrom in the fourth on Dickerson's groundout.
Marlins starter Elieser Hernandez allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out seven over four innings.
--Field Level Media