Mets' miscues, Alonso failures in clutch cost them in Game 160, dropping into wild-card tie with Reds
Pete Alonso's defensive miscues and a quiet night at the plate helped Miami pull away late as New York falls 6-2, leaving its playoff fate in the hands of tiebreakers.
MIAMI — The Mets' playoff hopes took a brutal hit Friday night as Pete Alonso and the defense failed to close out a late lead, and New York fell 6-2 to the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park, dropping into a wild-card tie with Cincinnati, which owns the tiebreaker.
Alonso had given the Mets the lead earlier, starting the night with a double that scored the second run of a 2-0 first-inning advantage. But in the bottom of the fifth, two defensive misplays and a six-run rally changed the complexion of the game and perhaps the Mets' fate for the offseason. Griffin Conine singled, and Troy Johnston lined a ball to Alonso's right. He dove, his glove reaching but not clasping the ball, which glanced off into right field for a single and loaded the bases. A dejected Alonso would later describe the moment as the turning point of the inning. A two-run triple that tied the game followed, and after a groundout that Alonso cleanly handled, Jakob Marsee grounded hard to the Mets first baseman. He could see that Heriberto Hernández had taken off from third base.