Mets' 5th-inning meltdown sinks playoff hopes in 6-2 loss to Marlins

In Miami on Friday night, the New York Mets watched a two-run lead evaporate in a six-run fifth inning that carried the Marlins to a 6-2 victory and complicated New York’s playoff chances. The loss leaves the Mets and the Cincinnati Reds tied for the final National League wild-card spot, with Cincinnati holding the tiebreaker.

The Mets had nudged ahead with a two-run frame, but the inning spiraled as several defensive and mental miscues fueled Miami’s rally. Pete Alonso fielded a ground ball in the inning that should have been an out, but his miscue allowed the go-ahead run to score. Two batters later, Miami catcher Agustín Ramírez stole second without a throw and then third as Mets third baseman Ronny Mauricio played well off the bag, setting up Xavier Edwards’ RBI single to center. The frame was completed when Connor Norby came in to pinch hit for Liam Hicks and delivered a two-run homer, pushing the Marlins ahead 6-2 and effectively sealing the outcome.

The meltdown drew strong commentary from SNY’s broadcast booth. "And the Mets’ lack of attention to detail, which has popped up repeatedly during this slow-motion, backwards march over the last three-and-a-half months, comes up to bite them again," play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen said. "I mean, you might take your whole travel ball squad off the field if something like that happens," analyst Ron Darling added. "Here's a team that is fighting to get to October. What are you going to do in October with an inning like that?" Keith Hernandez joined in, highlighting the broader pattern: "And it’s not the first time, too. They have made a lot of mental errors over the past 9-10 games."

Nueva york's offense had little success after the third inning, failing to register a hit as Miami capitalized on the Mets’ mistakes to seize control. Friday’s result leaves New York tied with Cincinnati for the final wild-card berth, though the Reds own the tiebreaker for now. The loss adds to a late-season stretch in which the Mets have seen mental lapses seemingly compound, reinforcing the importance of clean defense and timely hitting as they push toward October.

As the season winds down, the Mets will look to tighten execution and protect small leads, while the Marlins ride the momentum from a pivotal inning to keep their own postseason hopes alive. The implications of the night’s events extend beyond one game, shaping the tone of a tight playoff race in the National League.