Fortes solo HR with 2 outs in bottom of 9th, Miami tops Mets
MIAMI — Rookie Nick Fortes hit a solo home run with two outs in the ninth inning, lifiting the Miami Marlins over the New York Mets 3-2 Sunday.
Fortes drove an 0-1 pitch from Adam Ottavino (2-2) into the left-field seats as Miami avoided a three-game sweep by the NL East leaders.
“Going up to bat I was looking for a sinker and he threw a really good slider first pitch that I did not see well,” Fortes said. “I figured that he’d throw it again so I was sitting on it and thankfully, he threw it there.”
Fortes homered for the third time since being called up from the minors May 27. He hit four home runs in another call-up the final two weeks of last season.
“Running around the bases, I felt I was on cloud nine,” Fortes said. “My parents were here to see it
as well, so it was pretty awesome. A moment I’ll never forget it.”
Tanner Scott (3-2) walked J.D. Davis leading off the ninth. Davis advanced on a wild pitch and reached third on Luis Guillorme’s one-out groundout. Scott struck out James McCann to end the threat.
New York finished 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position.
Marlins starter Daniel Castano threw a careerhigh seven innings, giving up two runs. He allowed five hits, walked two and struck out four.
“Really, just trying to slow the game down,” said Castano, who allowed leadoff doubles the first two innings but prevented New York from scoring. “Today, that was my goal. I know I got into a little bit of trouble, so what. On to the next pitch.”
Mets starter David Peterson also threw seven innings of two-run ball. He gave up four hits and struck out a season-high eight, eclipsing the seven strikeouts he had against Miami in his previous start June 20.
“Their guy pitched well, we knew that with the good cutter-slider mix,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said. “I think early on we had a chance to get something on, not let him get his feet on the ground. The good part is how well (Peterson) pitched.”