Mets stung by walk-off grand slam as offensive slide continues

MIAMI -- Heriberto Hernández hit a walk-off grand slam to center with one out in the ninth on Sunday to lead the Marlins to a 4-0 win over the Mets at loanDepot park to finish off a three-game sweep.

Christopher Morel led off the inning with a double into left field off reliever Devin Williams; Liam Hicks then walked with one out. Williams intentionally walked Xavier Edwards to load the bases and set the stage for Hernández.

The Mets, who have lost five of their past six, scored four runs in the past four games -- and only two in the three-game series against Miami.

The Marlins have won nine of 11 against the Mets since April 2025.

“Well, we’ve got no choice, right?” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said when asked how his team recovers from this weekend. “We’re scuffling. We have a lot of guys who are going through it right now. We’re not grinding at-bats. … We’ve got to figure it out. You have to be able to score runs."

The Mets had few chances to score Sunday, but in the ninth, MJ Melendez led off with a single -- only pinch-runner Nick Morabito was thrown out trying to steal second.

Luis Torrens walked with two outs and took second on a wild pitch, but the threat ended when Carson Benge struck out looking.

“We’re having a hard time hitting the ball hard,’’ Mendoza said. “We have to find a way."

The Mets entered the finale with six hits in their first two games against Miami, and had five Sunday. New York went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position in the latest loss and stranded 10.

“We ran into some good pitching, but we were not at our best,’’ said Marcus Semien, who went 0-for-4 on Sunday and has just three hits in his past seven games. “We were in a position to win this game, had a couple of chances. Couldn’t come through with two outs. ... Not a lot of chances for us.”

Christian Scott, who grew up about 45 minutes north of the Marlins’ ballpark in suburban Broward County, had the best start of his young career at loanDepot park.

He left the scoreless game with two outs in the sixth after allowing four hits and striking out five. He entered the game with a 0-2 record and 7.88 ERA in two previous starts at his hometown ballpark.

Scott worked out of a bases-loaded jam after he walked a pair in the third, striking out Owen Caissie and getting Kyle Stowers to ground out.

Miami also had a runner in scoring position in the fourth with one out, but Scott got out of that as well.

“I was able to get ahead much more than my last outing, and it was good to be able to go deep,’’ said Scott, who went to high school in nearby Fort Lauderdale. “That is one to build off of.’’

The Mets’ bullpen was strong for the most part on Sunday, with Huascar Brazobán, Brooks Raley, and Luke Weaver keeping the Marlins off the board after Scott departed.

Williams took the loss after coming in for Weaver to pitch the ninth.

New York was playing without Juan Soto, who was a late scratch from the finale with flu-like symptoms.

Mendoza was not sure whether Soto would return to the lineup Monday afternoon when the Mets open a three-game series at Citi Field against the Reds.

“The few guys who have had [the illness], it’s kind of a 24-hour thing,” Mendoza said. “Hopefully, that’s the case, and he is back.’’