 pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed only an unearned run. He also singled for his first RBI of the year.New York's bullpen leads the majors in losses but limited Miami to one hit in the final 3 2/3 innings. Jeurys Familia pitched a perfect ninth for his 15th save.Not that the Mets totally eliminated the bumbling common during their recent swoon. They had to overcome three errors, including one by Matz that allowed Miami to score its first run.Asdrubal Cabrera hit his 14th homer off Dan Straily (3-4). Todd Frazier had two hits and scored three times, and Kevin Plawecki doubled home New York's first run.Matz was 2 for 26 this year before his two-out RBI single in the fourth put the Mets ahead 3-0.Straily allowed three runs in seven innings, matching his longest outing of the year. Cameron Maybin hit his first homer for the Marlins, but they slipped back into last place in the division.Matz loaded the bases with two out in the second by walking Straily, an .056 career hitter, but then struck out Starlin Castro to escape.Matz also reached behind his legs to snare Lewis Brinson's grounder and retire him in the fourth. But the left-hander failed to come up with Straily's safety squeeze bunt with two out in the inning, allowing Miguel Rojas to score from third.MISCUESManager Mickey Callaway talked before the game about how the Mets needed to play better defense, but they didn't. Second baseman Cabrera and third baseman Frazier misplayed grounders for errors, but Matz pitched around those mistakes.Misplays in the eighth led to the Mets' final two runs. Center fielder Brinson failed to catch Frazier's drive after a long sprint, and the play was ruled an RBI double. Frazier then came home on a wild pickoff throw by catcher J. T. Realmuto.TRAINER'S ROOMMets: INF Dominic Smith, who has been nursing a sore right wrist, pinch-hit in the eighth and flied out. ... OF Jay Bruce (hip) is expected to begin taking batting practice in the next few days.UP NEXTMets: After an off day, RHP Zack Wheeler (2-6, 4.47) is scheduled to start Tuesday at Toronto.Marlins: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (2-5, 6.14) is scheduled to start Monday against Tampa Bay to begin a three-game series.---More baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball)
TICKETSTICKETSMarlins continue climb while Mets continue free-fall 2h ago• 2 min read MIAMI -- The Miami Marlins spent June engaged in methodical but fruitful climb out of the basement in the National League East. The New York Mets can begin July by cementing their unimaginably rapid descent to the bottom of not just the division but the entire Senior Circuit.The Marlins will look to move into sole possession of fourth place in the NL East Sunday, when they look to complete a sweep of the free-falling Mets in the finale of a three-game series at Marlins Park.Marlins right-hander Dan Straily (3-3, 4.82 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Mets left-hander Steven Matz (3-5, 3.69 ERA).The Marlins came back from an early two-run deficit Saturday to earn a 5-2 win over the Mets and their ace, right-hander Jacob deGrom. The win completed the best month of the season for Miami (34-50), which went 14-14 while winning five of nine series."That's how you climb is continue to win series, continue to win series," Marlins manager Don Mattingly told reporters Saturday. "Hopefully somewhere in there, you throw an eight- or 10-game winning streak together to really take a chunk out of something." The Mets (32-48) are doing the exact opposite. New York went 5-21 in June, during which it lost eight of nine series and split the other. It was the third-worst month in franchise history behind/ahead of only July 1963 (4-25) and August 1982 (5-24).In the process, the Mets went from five games out of first place and eight games ahead of the Marlins to tie for last, 14 1/2 games out of first. The two teams are tied for the worst record in the NL, though Miami is technically percentage points ahead of New York heading into Sunday.The Mets are 21-47 since opening 11-1, the best 12-game start in franchise history. Only the Baltimore Orioles have a worse record since Apr. 13.The Mets have not been in last place in the NL East after July 1 since 2005, when they had a 77-77 record while occupying fifth place on Sept. 24. This squad appears far more likely to flirt with 100 losses than with .500, but rookie manager Mickey Callaway said he will continue to remain patient."We just have to keep on having daily conversations to try and right the ship," Callaway told reporters Saturday. "It's difficult right now. I know the players are feeling it. I know the fans are feeling it. We're going to continue to do everything we can with the staff, the organization and the players to try and get in a better spot than we are. Because this isn't acceptable to anybody." Straily earned the win in his most recent start last Monday, when he allowed three runs over 6 1/3 innings as the Marlins beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 9-5. Matz didn't factor into the decision last Tuesday, when he gave up three runs over seven innings as the Mets beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3.Straily is 1-1 with a 3.04 ERA in five career starts against the Mets. Matz is 2-2 with a 3.67 ERA in five starts against the Marlins.
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