The New York Mets secured their third consecutive series win Tuesday, defeating the Miami Marlins 7-5 despite a bewildering performance from left-handed pitcher Sean Manaea.
Manaea was dominant through the first five innings, retiring all 15 batters he faced. However, the sixth inning saw a dramatic turnaround as he surrendered five consecutive hits and four earned runs before being removed from the game. He finished with four strikeouts, charged with four earned runs on five hits.
This outing continued a pattern for Manaea this season, marked by strong starts followed by late-game struggles. In his last five starts, he has posted an ERA of 6.75, a stark contrast to an earlier four-start stretch where he allowed two earned runs or fewer and pitched at least six innings. His overall ERA stands at 4.79 in the second year of his three-year, $75 million contract.
The Mets' offense provided an early cushion, building a 7-0 lead against Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara. Francisco Lindor ignited the offense with a leadoff home run in the first inning. The Mets extended their lead in the second inning when Juan Soto hit a three-run homer, his 24th of the season, after Francisco Alvarez singled and Lindor was hit by a pitch. Brett Baty added to the lead with a 426-foot home run in the third inning, his solo shot making it 6-0.
Baty also contributed with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, giving him a second RBI for the game. The Marlins began their comeback in the sixth inning after Manaea's exit, scoring three runs on a Jared Serna RBI double, a Brian Navarreto RBI double, and an Heriberto Hernandez single. Otto Lopez added another RBI single for Miami, concluding Manaea's night.
Despite the late-inning scare and Manaea's struggles, the Mets held on for the victory, extending their winning streak to three games. 
