Marlins complete NL East sweep of Mets with ninth-inning grand slam
The win moves Miami into fourth place in the standings, while New York’s record slips to 22-31 following a late scratch by Juan Soto.
The Miami Marlins concluded a three-game divisional sweep of the New York Mets on Sunday, securing the final victory with a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning. Heriberto Hernández, who entered the contest as a pinch-hitter, cleared the bases off Mets reliever Devin Williams with a 416-foot home run to centre field, ending a scoreless tie.
Hernández did not start the game, instead pinch-hitting for Owen Caissie in the seventh inning. He recorded an infield single that helped load the bases before grounding out later in the frame. In the decisive ninth inning, Williams allowed a double to Christopher Morel, followed by a bunt single from Javier Sanoja that moved pinch-runner Esteury Ruiz to third. After Liam Hicks drew a walk, New York intentionally walked Xavier Edwards to set up a force-out at any base, a strategy that backfired when Hernández delivered the game-winning hit.
The loss dropped the Mets to a 22-31 record, extending a difficult stretch where the team has lost five of its last six games. Star slugger Juan Soto was a late scratch due to illness. Without Soto, New York managed only five hits, with A.J. Ewing leading the team with two hits in four at-bats.
Devin Williams, who signed a three-year, $51 million deal with the Mets this offseason, pitched 0.1 innings, allowing four earned runs and raising his season ERA to 6.35. The defeat follows a series where the Marlins had previously dropped three of four games to the Atlanta Braves, allowing Miami to close the gap in the division.
The Marlins improved to 25-29, moving into fourth place in the National League East, ahead of the Mets. New York returns home on Monday to face the Cincinnati Reds in a three-game set, while Miami travels to play the Toronto Blue Jays.
