Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a three-run home run, Jake Burger also homered, and the Miami Marlins defeated the New York Mets 4-2 on Sunday.
Vidal Bruján had his second career game with three hits for the Marlins, who have struggled this season and are currently last in the National League. They now hold a 5-4 record against their division rival Mets.
“My motivation throughout these 60-plus games is to show that it’s not easy to play against us,” Chisholm stated. “Miami isn’t a place where opponents can relax.”
Declan Cronin (2-2) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief against his hometown team. A.J. Puk and Calvin Faucher each threw a scoreless inning before Tanner Scott secured his 16th save with a perfect ninth.
Miami’s bullpen did not allow a run against the Mets in the final 10 1/3 innings of the series.
“Our bullpen is outstanding,” Scott praised. “We’re like a family down there, and everyone has strong stuff.”
Marlins catcher Nick Fortes made three throwing errors, a first in the club’s history.
“It was one of those days,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker acknowledged. “Every team goes through them.”
The Mets struggled at the plate, striking out 14 times and going 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position.
“Yesterday, we had some solid at-bats and hit the ball hard but couldn’t find gaps,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza reflected. “Today, we couldn’t string together hits, but overall our hitters are performing well.”
Chisholm’s home run in the fourth inning gave Miami a 3-1 lead. He connected on a slider from rookie pitcher Christian Scott (0-3) and sent it into the Mets’ bullpen in right field for his 13th home run of the season.
“I thrive in those moments,” Chisholm emphasized. “Every day, I aim to be the best player I can be, especially in those critical situations. They’re the ones I enjoy the most.”
