The Miami Marlins completed a three-game divisional sweep of the New York Mets on Sunday.
The game was tied 0-0 in the bottom of the ninth, and Miami had loaded the bases. Heriberto Hernández cleared them with a 416 ft. walk-off grand slam to center field.
Hernández did not start the game for the Marlins. He pinch-hit for Owen Caissie in the bottom of the seventh inning. Hernández had an infield single to load the bases, but Kyle Stowers ended that inning by grounding out to second.
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The 26-year-old came up in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded and one out in the inning. Devin Williams came on in relief for the Mets to begin the frame and instantly gave up a double to Christopher Morel.
Javier Sanoja then bunted pinch-runner Esteury Ruiz to third base. Liam Hicks drew a walk, and then New York set up the force-out at any base situation by intentionally walking Xavier Edwards.
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Hernández proved why that strategy can backfire in a big way. All he needed was a single, but instead, he knocked his second home run of the season to win the game.
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Williams, who signed a massive 3-year, $51 million deal with the Mets in free agency this offseason, pitched 0.1 innings and allowed four earned runs, moving his ERA for the season to a dismal 6.35.
The loss pushed New York to a 22-31 record, and the Mets have dropped five of their last six games.
New York star slugger Juan Soto was a late scratch with an illness. Without his bat, the Mets managed to tally just five hits in the game, with center fielder A.J. Ewing leading the way with two hits in his four at-bats.
After dropping three of four to the Atlanta Braves earlier in the week, Miami made up some ground with this divisional series sweep. The Marlins are now 25-29 and in fourth place in the NL East, ahead of the Mets.
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New York will return home Monday and welcome the Cincinnati Reds to town for a three-game set.
Miami will look to stay hot and continue this momentum on the road for three games against the Toronto Blue Jays, who suffered two key injuries in Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
