*Photo from the Edwardsville Intelligencer*
It appears that the long layoff and 20 COVID-19 cases the Miami Marlins dealt with last week didn't have any effect on their performance. Humberto Mejia made his major league debut, Francisco Cervelli homered, and the Marlins outlasted the New York Mets for a 4-3 win, pushing their record to 7-1. Dating back to before the layoff, the Marlins have won 6 straight games, even with a brand new team due to all the positive cases of COVID-19.
The Marlins got all of their scoring in the second inning. Cervelli started it with a 3 run homer to right field, making it 3-0 Marlins early. Later in the inning, Jonathan Villar hit an RBI double to make it 4-0. In the bottom of the second, Dominic Smith hit a solo homer to get the Mets on the board, making it 4-1. It stayed that way until the 8th, when Amed Rosario scored on a fielders choice and JD Davis hit an RBI single, making it 4-3 Marlins. That was all the Mets could muster, as the Marlins were able to hold on for the win.
Stephen Tarpley got the win for the Marlins, throwing 2 scoreless innings, not allowing a single baserunner and striking out two hitters. Mejia went 2 1/3 in his major league debut, allowing one run on two hits and two walks, striking out 6 hitters. Mejia said postgame of his debut that ''This was a very special day for me, it was a day I was dreaming of since I was a kid. I think I did a good job. I hope to be here for more games and have the opportunity.''
Marlins manager Don Mattingly said of the team's hot streak that ''You want to ride this wave as long as you can because you know you're going to hit a stretch somewhere, pennant race baseball is momentum and you want to win every day. I know it's early and we got a long way to go.'' Mattingly said of Cervelli's performance particularly that ''He's been tremendous for us."
Michael Wacha started and took the loss for the Mets, throwing 5 innings. He allowed 4 runs on 6 hits and two walks, but he did strike out 9 hitters. Wacha said of the homer by Cervelli that it was ''Not a very good pitch at all to Cervelli, and he got me." Chasen Shreve, Jared Hughes, and Edwin Diaz pitched in relief of Wacha.
Smith, who homered in the second for the Mets, was frustrated postgame, saying that ''We're continuously putting ourselves in good situations to win, we're not just getting overmatched at the plate and we're not just getting blown out.''
The Marlins are looking to continue their hot streak in Saturday's game, where Dan Castano will get the start. The Mets will look to bounce back, sending rookie David Peterson to the mound for his 3rd major league start.
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