Mets risk losing top spot after loss to Marlins

MIAMI – The Mets left South Beach on Thursday, but only after being arrested for indecent exposure.

In the three weeks after the All-Star hiatus, they were exposed as contenders, with a team clinging to first place thanks to weak NL East. But before this weekend is over, even that false security of division leadership could dissipate.

The dismal offensive outing that plagued them for most of the season continued in a 4-2 loss to the Marlins at LoanDepot Park, the Mets’ third loss in four games to the Cellarer. from eastern NL.

The Mets left 15 runners on base wasting a strong pitcher’s performance from Rich Hill. The Marlins entered the game in the eighth, scoring three points against Jeurys Familia. The dagger was a two-run double from Lewis Brinson who buried the Mets in a 4-1 hole. The Mets rallied in the ninth, adding a run on Brandon Drury’s RBI single, but left the bases loaded for the third time in the game.

Now the Mets get a weekend streak in Philadelphia starting on Friday against the Phillies, who were one game away from the divisional lead as their afternoon game against the Nationals was due to begin. The Mets are 8-12 since the All-Star break, but will wake up in first place Friday for a 90th straight day.

On his best start in three since joining the Mets last month, Hill allowed three hits and a walk in five innings in which he allowed a run (unearned). The veteran southpaw pitched five innings in each of his three appearances for the team, limiting his exposure to the third time in the roster.

Hill gave up an unearned run in third, after Michael Conforto misplayed (actually kicked) Miguel Rojas’ single, allowing the runner to reach second place. Rojas stole third place and scored on Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s sacrificial volley.

Jonathan Villar’s RBI single in the sixth tied 1-1 after Albert Almora Jr.’s third hit of the afternoon, a double, started the rally. Brandon Nimmo fired a slapshot and Villar delivered a simple bloop. But after a march to goal-loaded Pete Alonso, Dominic Smith was pulled out for the final.

The Mets missed a big opportunity in the first inning, when they filled in the goals with no one away but failed to score. JD Davis and Javier Baez were eliminated in succession and Michael Conforto was called out to end the round after Pete Alonso sandwiched a walk between the singles of Jonathan Villar and Dominic Smith.

Another chance was wasted in the fifth by the Mets when Baez struck out after Smith’s two-out single and a walk to Davis.

Drew Smith allowed back-to-back singles for Brian Anderson and Joe Panik to start the seventh, but escaped with the help of an unorthodox double play: Bryan De La Cruz hit a Grounder in Baez, who returned to Villar in second place for the first withdrawal. Villar then threw alert in third place and lead runner Anderson was caught in a rundown for the second out.