Alonso’s RBI double sparks Mets in 6-2 win over Marlins
Miami — Tylor Megill wanted to be ready when his next opportunity came.
The New York Mets sent the 27-year-old right-hander to the minors before the start of the season. But then Justin Verlander went on the injured list hours before the club's opening-day win. That made way for Megill, who had been preparing to start for Triple-A Syracuse, to step in Saturday against the Marlins.
Megill struck out seven over five innings, and along with a go-ahead double by Pete Alonso, helped the Mets beat Miami 6-2.
Verlander's injury, a lowgrade teres major strain that the Mets believe is minor, sidelined the three-time AL Cy Young Award winner before his first appearance with the team.
Megill (1-0) was also the Mets' opening-day starter last year while subbing for injured ace Jacob deGrom. He allowed six hits, two runs and two walks Saturday.
“A little erratic in the first two innings,” Megill said. “But I settled down in three, four, five. Pretty solid day.”
The game was tied 2-all when Jeff McNeil led off the fifth with a double against Andrew Nardi (0-1). On the play, third baseman Jean Segura and shortstop Joey Wendle collided in left field trying to secure the ball. Alonso's ensuing double made it 3-2.
Alonso then scored on a single by Mark Canha to double New York's lead.
Canha was 3 for 4, including a homer off reliever Braxton
Garrett in the seventh that made it 5-2.
“He just works at it,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said. “This guy's never satisfied. We have a lot of guys like that. That's why it's such a fun club to manage, because they're chasing perfection.”
The Mets jumped ahead 1-0 in the second on a sacrifice fly by Omar Narvaez that scored Canha, who doubled leading off the inning.
Miami catcher Nick Fortes hit a two-run homer in the bottom half off Megill to make it 2-1. It was the 14th home run of Fortes' career and Miami's fourth homer in three games this series.
Narvaez, batting ninth, tied it 2-all with an RBI single in the fourth that drove in Canha, who drew the fifth walk from Marlins starter Edward Cabrera.