NEW YORK (AP) — Starling Marte ended a long power drought at the perfect time, hitting a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning that sent the resurgent New York Mets past the Cleveland Guardians 5-4 on Sunday in the opener of a split doubleheader.
Max Scherzer pitched six shutout innings and Brandon Nimmo also homered for the Mets, who won their fourth straight. Marte's first three-hit game of the season included a two-run shot to right field for his first extra-base hit since April 14 in Oakland.
His only other long ball this year came in the home opener April 7 against Miami. The two-time All-Star began the day batting .231. He also cut down a runner at second base with a rocket throw from right field.
Brooks Raley tossed a perfect seventh before the Guardians scored four times in the eighth and took the lead on José Ramírez’s two-run homer off David Robertson (2-0).
Trevor Stephen (2-2) opened the eighth by walking Brett Baty, and Marte homered on a 1-0 pitch. With Pete Alonso waving a towel on the top step of the dugout, Marte emerged and doffed his cap for a brief curtain call.
It was the latest dramatic win for the Mets (24-23), who have come from behind each time to win four consecutive one-run games following a 6-16 slide.
After a rainout Saturday, Eduardo Escobar produced the first run with an RBI single in the fourth, snapping a franchise-record streak of 13 straight games in which the Mets’ opponent scored first.
Gary Sánchez, making his Mets debut, delivered a sacrifice fly in the sixth and Nimmo snapped a 3-for-27 slump with a long leadoff homer in the seventh.
Scherzer allowed three hits and struck out five. Guardians rookie Tanner Bibee gave up two runs in six innings.
OOPS
The teams traded baserunning gaffes in the fourth. Josh Bell hit a liner over Marte’s head off the right-field fence but was easily thrown out trying for a double.
The Mets committed two outs on the bases in the bottom half. Marte singled with one out and was picked off first base by Bibee. Sánchez was thrown out at home trying to score from first on Escobar’s single after right fielder Gabriel Arias bobbled the ball.
Jeff McNeil was thrown out trying to stretch a single in the seventh.
EXTRA MEN
The Mets recalled LHP Josh Walker from Triple-A Syracuse to serve as their 27th man for the doubleheader, while the Guardians recalled C Bo Naylor, the younger brother of 1B/DH Josh Naylor.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Scherzer (204 wins) and Justin Verlander (245 wins) entered Sunday with 449 major league wins — the most for a team’s starting pitchers in a doubleheader, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, since Nolan Ryan (300 wins) and Charlie Hough (184 wins) had 484 prior to Texas' doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 17, 1990.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Guardians: C Cam Gallagher (right thumb) sat out the opener. Gallagher was hit on the thumb by a foul tip in the 10th inning Friday night. … RHP Triston McKenzie (teres major strain) allowed two hits over three scoreless innings in his first rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Columbus. Cleveland manager Terry Francona said McKenzie and RHP Aaron Civale (left oblique), who began his rehab at Columbus on Thursday, will pitch every fifth day for the Clippers.
Mets: C Tomás Nido (dry eye syndrome) went 0 for 4 as the DH for Class A St. Lucie in his second rehab game Saturday. Nido was limited to DH duties after being hit by a pitch Friday night. … C Omar Narváez (left calf strain) is expected to begin a rehab assignment this week. Narváez is on the 60-day IL with an injury sustained April 5. … LHP José Quintana (left rib fracture) threw his first bullpen Saturday since undergoing surgery in March.
UP NEXT
Guardians RHP Shane Bieber (3-2, 3.20 ERA), the 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner, is scheduled to face Verlander (1-2, 4.76 ERA), who won the AL Cy Young Award for the third time last season, in Sunday’s nightcap. It’s the second matchup this season of former Cy Young Award winners. Scherzer opposed Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara on opening day March 30.
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