MIAMI — The Mets got just about the entire lineup involved Friday night, but Starling Marte’s body blows early and Brandon Nimmo’s knockout punch late were the most pronounced.
Between them, the 1-2 hitters drove in all six runs for the Mets in their 6-4 victory over the Marlins at loanDepot park. Fresh off a Subway Series sweep, the Mets extended their winning streak to four games.
Nimmo, who entered with an anemic .675 OPS for July, mashed a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning off lefty Steven Okert on a night when the Mets overcame an early 3-0 deficit.
Marte, a hero from the victory over the Yankees on Wednesday, in which he delivered a game-winning single in the ninth inning, finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs. The All-Star outfielder finished a double short of the cycle.
With the score 4-4 in the eighth, pinch-hitter Eduardo Escobar reached on an infield single and Tomas Nido moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. Nimmo followed with a rocket off the facing of the second deck in right field for his 10th homer of the season.
The Mets received three innings combined of scoreless relief from Adam Ottavino, Trevor Williams and Edwin Diaz after Chris Bassitt got through six.
On his final pitch of the night, Bassitt got Jacob Stallings to hit into a double play to end the sixth after the right-hander had allowed two singles to begin the inning.
Overall, Bassitt surrendered four earned runs on six hits and four walks. The four earned runs allowed were Bassitt’s most since he gave up six in a loss to the Padres on June 8.
Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara, who entered with a NL-best 1.81 ERA, was handled by the Mets. The right-hander lasted only five innings — snapping a string of 14 straight starts in which he had completed at least six frames — and allowed four earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and three walks.
The Marlins assembled a rally in the first to score three runs without hitting the ball hard against Bassitt. Lewin Diaz drew a two-out walk before Avisail Garcia’s grounder just eluded Jeff McNeil’s glove for a single. JJ Bleday followed with an infield single and Miguel Rojas’ soft line drive to right went for a three-run double.
Alcantara was within a pitch of escaping the second inning unscathed, but after going ahead 0-2 to Nido, he threw four balls to walk the catcher. Nimmo followed with a double off the center field fence that scored Mark Canha, who had doubled. Marte then delivered a two-run triple that tied the score 3-3.
Bassitt gave back a run in the second, after walking Luke Williams to start the inning and surrendering a single to Jacob Stallings. Joey Wendle hit into a double play to give the Marlins a 4-3 lead.
Marte’s solo homer in the fourth left him within a double of the cycle and tied it 4-4. The homer was Marte’s 11th this season.
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