Baez, Mets win twice

NEW YORK — Michael Conforto delivered a twoout hit that sent Javier Baez bolting home to cap a fiverun rally in the ninth inning in the opener, then homered to lift the New York Mets over the Miami Marlins 3-1 Tuesday night for their second victory of the day.

In the afternoon opener — which was the completion of a nine-inning game suspended one out into the top of the first on April 11 — Conforto’s single scored the tying run and Baez, too.

Baez earned cheers from a fanbase he insulted days earlier by sprinting home when left fielder Jorge Alfaro misplayed the ball to cap a five-run inning and give the Mets a 6-5 win.

The win in the second game, which was seven innings, gave the Mets three straight victories. New York, which entered the month with a fourgame lead in the NL East, began Tuesday seven games back of the divisionleading Atlanta Braves.

The Marlins-Mets game scheduled for Wednesday night at Citi Field was postponed a day in advance because of expected heavy rain. It will be made up as part of a straight doubleheader on Sept. 28 starting at 4:10 p.m.

Conforto hit a two-run homer off rookie Edward Cabrera (0-1) in the fourth.

Baez followed with a single and scored on a double by Jeff McNeil — evoking memories of his game-winning sprint hours earlier by racing around third as the announced crowd of 18,101 roared.

Jesus Aguilar had a pinch-hit RBI double in the fifth off Trevor Williams, but Aaron Loup (4-0) escaped a bases-loaded jam by inducing Isan Diaz to hit into a double play. Seth Lugo tossed a scoreless sixth and Edwin Diaz earned his 27th save with a perfect seventh.

Williams allowed an unearned run on four hits and walked none with four strikeouts in 41⁄3 innings.

Cabrera, making his second big-league start, gave up three runs on seven hits and walked none with two strikeouts in four innings.

The opener began about an hour after Baez and Francisco Lindor held separate press conferences to apologize for the thumbsdown gesture they and teammate Kevin Pillar delivered during Sunday’s 9-4 win over the Washington Nationals.

Baez said Sunday the gesture was the players’ way of answering fans who had booed the Mets throughout August. Lindor heard some boos prior to his first plate appearance and went 0 for 3 with a walk and a sacrifice bunt. Baez was booed when he entered as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning.

The Mets trailed 5-1 before Brandon Nimmo hit a two-run homer and Baez legged out a two-out RBI infield single. On Conforto’s hit, which scored Pete Alonso, Baez never broke stride as he neared third base and scored the winning run.