Tong Earns Win as Mets' 16-Hit Barrage Defeats Marlins

Rookie right-hander Jonah Tong earned his first major league win as the New York Mets defeated the Miami Marlins 9-4 on Monday, fueled by a 16-hit offensive performance. Despite allowing four runs in the second inning, Tong adjusted his approach, largely abandoning his four-seam fastball in favor of changeups and cutters to pitch effectively through his final three innings.

The Mets have won four of their last five games. The team is evaluating the 23-year-old Tong, who becomes the third rookie to join the rotation this season, alongside Nolan McLean and Zac Thornton.

Tong's outing saw him allow four earned runs on four hits and one walk, with a hit batsman, over five innings. He struck out seven batters. This win marked a welcome return to the majors for Tong, who had posted a 0.84 ERA in his last four starts for Triple-A Syracuse.

The Mets' offense capitalized on early defensive miscues by the Marlins. In the first inning, a ground ball hit by Bo Bichette resulted in an errant throw from Javier Sanoja, allowing Juan Soto to score. Carson Benge later scored on a wild throw from catcher Joe Mack.

Nick Morabito extended the Mets' lead to 3-0 in the third inning with an RBI single, following a double by Brett Baty. Tong had initially struck out the first four batters he faced before encountering trouble in the second.

The Marlins responded in the second inning. After Sanoja delivered an RBI triple, Tong walked Owen Caissie and then surrendered a three-run home run to Graham Pauley, giving Miami a 4-3 lead. Pauley's home run came on a 95-mph fastball on the outside corner.

New York tied the game in the fourth inning when Francisco Alvarez hit an RBI single, set up by a leadoff double from Marcus Semien and an infield single by A.J. Ewing.

Bichette reclaimed the lead for the Mets in the fifth with an RBI single. With two outs, Ewing then hit a two-run double to extend the lead to 7-4. That rally began with consecutive singles from Francisco Lindor and Soto.

The Mets continued to add to their lead in the sixth inning. Semien hit an RBI double to make it 8-4, and Ewing followed with another RBI single, his third hit of the game, to widen the margin further.