Mets Rally To Beat Marlins 5-4 In Extras Powered By Escobar

Mets 3B Eduardo Escobar (Photo Credits to Robert Sabo-NY Post)

 The New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 5-4 tonight in 10 innings at Citi Field to improve their record to 98-58 and now have a one game lead over the Atlanta Braves for first place in the National League East.

The offense did not do much for the first six innings against LHP Jesus Luzardo until the bottom of the seventh after 2B Jeff McNeil led off with a single and 3B Eduardo Escobar followed with a two-run homer.

In the bottom of the eighth, CF Brandon Nimmo and 1B Pete Alonso walked to start the inning and after SS Francisco Lindor flew out, LF Mark Canha then walked to load the bases.

2B Jeff McNeil then popped out, but Escobar followed and came through once again with a two-run single to tie the game. 

In the bottom of the ninth, catcher Tomas Nido doubled and Nimmo walked with one out, but then Alonso struck out and Lindor popped out to second to end the inning.

In the bottom of the tenth with Lindor on second as the automatic runner, Canha lined out to right field to start the inning and then McNeil was intentionally walked.

Escobar came up next and capped off his spectacular night at the plate with a walk-off single to bring in Lindor for his fifth RBI of the game.

RHP Taijuan Walker started out well with three scoreless innings, but ran into trouble in the top of the fourth after he gave up a leadoff double to 2B Charles Leblanc and after retiring the next two hitters, he gave up a two-run homer to CF Bryan De La Cruz.

Walker worked his way out of a based loaded jam in the top of the fifth, but struggled once again in the top of the sixth after he gave up a lead-off walk to DH Nick Fortes and then gave up a double to De La Cruz and was taken out.

RHP Seth Lugo came in next and gave up a sacrifice fly to LF JJ Bleday.

Lugo stayed in for the top of the seventh and retired the first two hitters he faced, but then walked LeBlac and gave up a two-out RBI double to RF Brian Anderson.

RHP  Adam Ottavino followed and threw a scoreless top of the eighth.

RHP Edwin Diaz came on in the top of the ninth and had a dominating performance striking out the side.

RHP Drew Smith came in next in the top of the tenth with SS Jon Berti on second as the automatic runner and had a fantastic performance retiring the next three hitters he faced with two outs.

Smith picked up his third win and lowered his ERA to 3.45.

The Mets are off tomorrow and return to action on Friday, September 30th at the Atlanta Braves in the first game of their biggest series of the year beginning at 7:20 p.m.