NEW YORK — Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Yuri Gurriel had consecutive run-scoring hits in the ninth inning as Miami rallied to take a 2-1 lead over the New York Mets, but the game was suspended by rain at 12:58 a.m. after a 3-hour, 17-minute delay Thursday night.
Miami moved into the third and final NL wild card spot when the Chicago Cubs lost at Atlanta.
Miami (82-76) is a half-game ahead of the Cubs (82-77), who finish with three games at NL Central champion Milwaukee. The Marlins close with three games at Pittsburgh and would have to return to New York on Monday to complete the game against the Mets if it’s needed to determine a postseason spot.
Miami holds the tiebreaker against the Cubs after winning the season series 4-2.
The game would be resumed at the point of suspension if needed to determine a playoff berth. If the game isn’t needed to decide a postseason spot, the score would revert to a 1-0 Mets victory under 7.02 (b) (4) (A).
San Diego (79-80) avoided elimination for another night because Miami couldn’t finalize a win.
Rafael Ortega’s one-out RBI single in the eighth off Andrew Nardi put the Mets ahead.
Bryan De La Cruz singled leading off the ninth against Grant Hartwig and Garrett Hampson struck out. Chisholm Jr. greeted Anthony Kay with a double and scored on Gurriel’s pinch-hit single. The game went into a rain delay with runners on first and second, and two outs in the top of the ninth.
The Marlins ran themselves out of potential go-ahead rallies in the third, when Jon Berti was picked off in a 1-3-4-2-6 rundown, and the fifth, when a lengthy video review determined De La Cruz did not cross home plate before Xavier Edwards was tagged out after over-sliding second base on a potential inning-ending forceout.
Marlins starter Jesús Luzardo allowed four hits, struck out 10 and walked one in 7 1/3 innings. His 208 strikeouts are the most for a Miami left-hander.
David Peterson struck out eight in seven innings for the Mets, lowering his ERA to 5.03. He was demoted to Triple-A on May 16 with an 8.08 ERA but recorded a 3.38 ERA in his final 19 appearances following his recall June 26.
THEY WEAR IT WELL
Mets announcers Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez wore suits honoring the trio of Ralph Kiner, Bob Murphy and Lindsey Nelson, who were the team’s radio and TV broadcasters for the franchise’s first 17 seasons. Cohen, Darling and Hernandez are concluding their 18th season in the SNY booth.
Cohen wore a checkerboard suit similar that evoked memories of the striped suit worn by Murphy. Hernandez wore a plaid suit, a la Nelson, while Darling sported a beige suit similar to the single-colored jacket worn by Kiner.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: RHP Tanner Scott returned from paternity leave, one day after his wife gave birth to a son. RHP Emmanuel De Jesus was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans. … INF Luis Arraez (left ankle), who leads the NL with a .353 average, took batting practice but didn’t play. … OF/DH Jorge Soler returned to the lineup as the DH after sitting out Wednesday’s second game with a sore side.
Mets: CF Brandon Nimmo exited in the fifth inning, shortly after he dove while trying to catch Soler’s sinking liner. … IF/OF Jeff McNeil (left elbow) was placed on the injured list after an MRI revealed a slightly torn UCL. New York recalled IF Danny Mendick from Triple-A Syracuse. … RHP Denys Reyes was recalled from Syracuse and LHP Joey Lucchesi was optioned to the same affiliate.
UP NEXT
Marlins: Have yet to announce their pitching plans.
Mets: With rain forecast, New York RHP Tylor Megill (8-8, 4.92 ERA) is slated to start Friday against a former teammate, Philadelphia RHP Taijuan Walker (15-5, 4.35 ERA).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
