J.D. Davis homered and drove in a career-high four runs, Pete Alonso and Michael Conforto also connected, and the New York Mets finally slowed down the makeshift Miami Marlins with an 8-4 victory Saturday night.
Rookie left-hander David Peterson (2-1) allowed two runs over five innings to win his first home start for the Mets. Davis hit a three-run shot and a sacrifice fly to help New York (6-9) win for only the third time in 10 games.
Conforto and Alonso each ripped a two-run homer off Daniel Castano (0-1), the latest starter to make his major league debut for the depleted Marlins. Despite a coronavirus outbreak that ravaged the roster, Miami (7-2) had won six in a row during a streak that began July 26.
New York Mets' J.D. Davis (28) follows through on a three-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020, in New York. (AP PhotoFrank Franklin II)
Going into Saturday night, the Marlins were 5-0 since returning to the field from an eight-day layoff as 18 players tested positive for COVID-19. Surprising stuff — particularly for a club that finished 57-105 last year.
Logan Forsythe, signed on Sunday, hit his first home run of the season, and rookie Monte Harrison had a two-run single for the Marlins, who haven’t won seven straight since a seven-game run in April 2016.
Brian Anderson delivered an early RBI single.
Miami Marlins pitcher Daniel Castano passes Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly as he leaves during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020, in New York. (AP PhotoFrank Franklin II)
Alonso walked ahead of Conforto's drive in the second. All three of the lefty-swinging Conforto’s homers this season — and two of his three doubles — have come off left-handers.
Davis singled with two outs in the third, extending his career-best hitting streak to 12 games, before Alonso sent a screaming line drive just over the orange line atop left-field fence for his second home run of the season. The ball left his bat at 117 mph.
Davis broke open a 5-4 game in the seventh when he launched an opposite-field drive to right-center on the first pitch from reliever Josh A. Smith.
New York Mets' Pete Alonso hits a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020, in New York. (AP PhotoFrank Franklin II)
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: Left-handed reliever Richard Bleier had an MRI and was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained triceps. He won't throw for three to five days. ... Harrison was back in center field after a night off to rest his banged-up knee.
Mets: RHP Marcus Stroman (torn left calf) threw more than 80 pitches over five innings in a simulated game Friday at the alternate site in Brooklyn. He's moving better and responding better to treatment, manager Luis Rojas said. Stroman's next step is another simulated game. ... RHP Brad Brach, who missed preseason camp after testing positive for COVID-19, is facing hitters during simulated games in Brooklyn, but there's no timeline for his return. ... CF Brandon Nimmo was rested against the left-hander.
New York Mets' David Peterson delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020, in New York. (AP PhotoFrank Franklin II)
ROSTER MOVES
Miami optioned Friday night's starter, RHP Humberto Mejia, to its alternate training site heading into a week that includes two off days. The team added two fresh arms to its revamped bullpen: left-hander Brian Moran and ambidextrous switch-pitcher Pat Venditte were called up from the alternate site.
UP NEXT
Pablo López (1-0) is set to become the only Marlins pitcher to make a second start this season Sunday when he faces two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom (1-0) in the finale of the three-game series. Miami was the first team in big league history to start nine different pitchers in the first nine games of a season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. López struck out seven over five innings of two-hit ball Tuesday as the Marlins returned from their long layoff with a 4-0 win at Baltimore.
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports