The Miami Marlins’ lone run-scoring inning on Sunday, just like the two innings in which they scored the night before, started with a Brian Anderson single. He poked a Jordan Yamamoto cutter through the left side of the New York Mets’ infield to lead off the second inning.
Eight batters and five Marlins runs later, the inning ended.
And with the way rookie Cody Poteet was pitching, that second-inning outburst was all the Marlins needed to beat the Mets 5-1 at loanDepot park to take the three-game series. Miami (22-24) also beat the Mets 3-1 on Saturday on a walk-off home run from Garrett Cooper after dropping the series opener 6-5 in 12 innings on Friday. The Marlins have now won five of their last seven games.
The rest of the Marlins’ second inning unfolded as follows:
Cooper drew a full-count walk and Sandy Leon was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Magneuris Sierra struck out looking to end a nine-pitch at-bat for the first out.
Poteet recorded his first career MLB hit and RBI with a slow-rolling groundball down the third base that scored Anderson. According to Statcast, Poteet’s dribbler had an 18-percent hit probability. 1-0 Marlins. Bases still loaded with one out.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. lifts a cutter into shallow center field. Cooper scores. 2-0 Marlins. Bases still loaded with one out.
Miguel Rojas grounds into a fielder’s choice that, coupled with a Francisco Lindor throwing error, allows Leon and Poteet to score and Rojas to get to second base. 4-0 Marlins with two outs.
Jesus Aguilar caps scoring with a line drive to center field that scores Rojas. 5-0 Marlins.
Anderson, who had two hits on Sunday and is riding a seven-game hit streak, also provided a pair of inning-opening sparks for the Marlins in their walk-off win on Saturday. He hit singles in both the seventh and ninth innings that day. Corey Dickerson drove Anderson home in the seventh with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly. Cooper sealed the win with his home-run to left-center field.
On Sunday, the five-run second provided the Marlins more than enough run support after Poteet dazzled in his third career MLB start.
The 26-year-old right-hander threw a career-high seven shutout innings on Sunday, holding the Mets (21-19) to three hits and no walks while striking out four. He threw 93 pitches (58 strikes) and retired the final 14 batters he faced before giving way to the bullpen for the final two innings. John Curtiss held the Mets to one run in the eighth. Anthony Bender handled the ninth.
Through three MLB starts, Poteet has a 1.06 ERA and has held opponents to 10 hits and two walks over 17 innings while striking out 13 batters.
