Jazz Chisholm Jr. homers but Miami Marlins once again lose to New York Mets
Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker shuffled the order of the top four players in his lineup Saturday against the New York Mets. He moved Jazz Chisholm Jr. up to the leadoff spot and Garrett Cooper to No. 2, while moving Luis Arraez and Jorge Soler — who had generally held those two spots — to third and fourth, respectively.
“Wherever you are in the lineup, it’s all about execution no matter what,” Schumaker said pregame, “but sometimes this sparks some guys to get going.”
Chisholm provided a momentary spark with a solo home run in the sixth inning.
The rest of the lineup, as has been the case so far early in the season, has left a lot to be desired in Miami’s 5-2 loss to the Mets at Citi Field.
The Marlins fall to 3-6 on the season and 1-5 against the Mets. The Mets improve to 5-4, with all of their wins so far coming against Miami.
Outside of Chisholm’s home run — a 391-foot shot to right off Mets starter Kodai Senga — Miami’s only other threat came in the seventh. The Marlins loaded the bases on a Bryan De La Cruz leadoff walk, Jon Berti one-out single and Cooper two-out walk. Arraez drove in De La Cruz with a single, his second hit of the game, but the rally attempt ended there when Jorge Soler popped out.
The Marlins had just five hits Saturday, left eight runners on base and went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position. Miami is last in MLB with just 20 runs scored through its first nine games, an average of just 2.2 per game. Of those 20 runs, 16 have come from nine home runs.
How Trevor Rogers fared
Trevor Rogers, making his second start of the season, lasted just 4 2/3 innings after another lengthy first inning drove up his pitch count early. The 25-year-old lefty needed 29 pitches to get out of the frame, one in which he gave up one hit, hit a batter and walked two, including Jeff McNeil with the bases loaded and two outs to force in the first run of the game.
Rogers settled in after that to retire 12 of his next 14 batters before giving up an infield single to Francisco Lindor and a two-run home run to Pete Alonso with two outs in the fifth to end his outing.
Rogers only made it through 4 1/3 innings in his first start of the season, which also came against the Mets.
The Mets tacked on two more runs in the sixth with an Eduardo Escobar two-run home run against Huascar Brazoban.
Jacob Stallings scratched
Catcher Jacob Stallings was removed from the starting lineup due to back tightness. Nick Fortes took his place in the lineup and behind the plate. The severity of Stallings’ injury was not immediately known.
Stallings caught 19 of Rogers’ 23 starts last season. He was behind the plate for Rogers’ first start of the season as well.
Stallings and Fortes so far this season have split catching duties nearly equally. Fortes has caught five games (both starts for Jesus Luzardo and Edward Cabrera in addition to Saturday) while Stallings has caught four games (both starts for Sandy Alcantara, Rogers’ first start and Johnny Cueto’s lone start before going on the injured list).
Up next
The Marlins wrap up their series against the Mets at 1:10 p.m. Sunday. Left-handed pitcher Braxton Garrett will make his first start of the season for Miami and will be opposite the Mets’ Carlos Carrasco (0-1, 11.25). After that, the Marlins continue their first road of the season with a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
After Sunday, the Marlins won’t face the Mets again until Sept. 18-20.
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