Marlins’ losing streak hits four games after another big loss to the New York Mets
The confidence was there. The execution? It still needs some work.
Such was the night Tuesday for Miami Marlins rookie starting pitcher Humberto Mejia, who showed the same poise and occasional flashes of potential as he did in his debut but gave reminders that his game still needs polishing.
The same could be said of his supporting cast.
Mejia gave up three earned runs and a pair of home runs over four innings but the Marlins’ pitching woes continued far after he left the mound in Miami’s 8-3 loss to the New York Mets at Marlins Park. Miami (9-8) has now lost four consecutive games and seven of their past nine.
It’s not going to get easier for the Marlins. They face two-time defending NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom on Wednesday.
The Mets (11-14) added an insurance run when Amed Rosario hit a leadoff home run against Nick Vincent in the seventh before piling on four more runs against Stephen Tarpley and Brad Boxberger in the eighth to put the game out of reach.
That’s 13 total runs and five home runs given up by Miami’s bullpen over 12 2/3 innings in the first two games of this series against the Mets.
The Marlins showed life in the ninth for a second consecutive night but could not overcome a six-run deficit. Three consecutive hits to start the frame — a Francisco Cervelli double, Eddy Alvarez single and Magneuris Sierra infield single (coupled with a throwing error) — plated a run but Monte Harrison and Jonathan Villar and Matt Joyce all struck out afterward to end the game.
Mejia’s outing
All things considered, Mejia was one of the bright spots on Tuesday. Marlins manager Don Mattingly was optimistic about the rookie heading into the game after seeing the way Mejia handled himself on the road against the Mets in his MLB debut on Aug. 7.
Mejia, a 23-year-old who has never pitched above Class A Advanced in the minor leagues, held the Mets to one run over 2 1/3 innings with six strikeouts in that game.
“He was kind of unflappable,” Mattingly said pregame. “That’s really what stood out because you rarely see that kind of composure from young guys. It seemed like nothing really bothered him.”
Mejia was composed through the first two innings, needing 24 pitches to get the first six outs. His lone blemish in those opening frames was a two-out walk to J.D. Davis in the first.
Brandon Nimmo then opened scoring with a two-out solo home run to right-center field. Davis doubled the Mets’ advantage with a leadoff home run in the fourth. The Mets went up 3-0 on Dominic Smith’s ground-rule double that scored Michael Conforto.
“We know we’re asking a lot,” Mattingly said, “and you still get disappointed when you’re hoping for the best in that scenario, but you have to be realistic at the end of the day. ... He is showing us that he can be a quality Major League pitcher. It’s a huge leap. These circumstances that we’ve been going through are obviously different than any other time.”
Mejia acknowledged that he still has room to grow but said he remains unfazed by the challenge of pitching in the big leagues.
“This is a game that you need to have composure,” Mejia said through a translator. “I think that can help me a lot. I know I need to learn a lot of new things and develop. As long as I can keep my composure, I can make pitches and outs.”
‘You have to get those big hits’
The Marlins, who out-hit the Mets 11-10 on Tuesday, scored a pair of runs in the fourth on a Jesus Aguilar RBI double and Brian Anderson RBI single to pull within one run before the Mets blew the game open and the ninth-inning rally fell short.
Their only other rally attempt came with two outs in the sixth when Anderson and Cervelli hit back-to-back singles. Alvarez, pinch-hitting for second baseman Logan Forsythe, hit a ground ball to Jeff McNeil to end the threat.
“You have to get those big hits. ... We had chances again tonight to get over the hump and get the ball to different guys in your bullpen to put pressure on the other teams. That’s what we have to get to.”
With his two hits, Anderson has safely reached base in all 18 of the Marlins’ games this season.
“We just have to keep grinding out these at-bats,” Anderson said. “We have to get ahead of somebody early. ... We’re putting them in tough spots. I think as an offense, we have to get those timely hits rolling and get that mojo back.”
Dickerson returns
One of the Marlins’ key players returned to the lineup on Tuesday when outfielder Corey Dickerson came off the Bereavement List. Dickerson batted fourth as the designated hitter Tuesday.
And while Dickerson’s pure numbers have been lackluster so far this season (.212 batting average), one home run, two RBI), Mattingly said his presence in the lineup helps a younger club like the Marlins that was in the midst of an offensive slump heading into Tuesday.
“A lot of times, it’s more the personality than anything,” Mattingly said. “Corey’s a guy that has a lot of big-league experience and is just not going to panic up there. ... If you have a bunch of young guys, it could be a total panic attack.”
Venditte exits
Switch-pitcher Pat Venditte left Tuesday’s game with one out in the top of the sixth with a right oblique strain after throwing a ball to Pete Alonso. He’s day to day.
Mattingly, pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr and the Marlins medical staff came out to the mound to check on Venditte, who threw a couple warmup pitches before the decision was made to take him out of the game.
Venditte has been a pleasant surprise among the new wave of relief pitchers following the Marlins’ COVID-19 outbreak. After his shortened outing Tuesday, Venditte had thrown 4 1/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts and no walks.
More roster moves
The Marlins placed left-handed pitcher Brian Moran on the 10-day injured list with right knee patellar tendinitis, moved right-handed pitcher Mike Morin to the 60-day IL, and optioned right-handed pitcher Justin Shafer to the alternate training site.
To fill out the roster, Miami selected the contracts of right-handed pitcher Brett Eibner and left-handed pitcher Brandon Leibrandt (the son of World Series winner Charlie Leibrandt) from the alternate training site.
These moves came after the Marlins optioned starting pitcher Jordan Yamamoto and first baseman Lewin Diaz after Monday’s game.
This story was originally published August 18, 2020 at 10:30 PM.
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