Realmuto hits walk-off HR in wild win over Mets

September 19th, 2017

MIAMI -- The Marlins aren't going down quietly in the National League Wild Card chase. After being an out away from elimination on Tuesday night, J.T. Realmuto delivered a walk-off home run in the 10th inning that lifted Miami to a 5-4 win over the Mets at Marlins Park.
The Mets carried a 4-1 lead into the ninth inning, but closer AJ Ramos, dealt to New York in July from Miami, allowed a leadoff home run to and with two outs, A.J. Ellis and delivered RBI singles, setting up Realmuto's heroics off in the 10th.
"I was, actually, really looking to go with something the other way and hit something to right field to get the inning started and get on base," Realmuto said. "He just left the pitch middle in, and I was able to put a good swing on it."

By celebrating its sixth walk-off win, Miami won back-to-back games for the first time since its four-game win streak Aug. 24-27.
"Other than Bour, they didn't really hit the ball all that hard," said Ramos, who blew his first save in eight chances since joining the Mets. "They just put the ball in play. There were a couple of pitches I think I would have done differently, but for the most part, they just beat me. It happens. That's a good lineup. You've got to be on point."
Sewald replaced Ramos, inheriting the bases loaded, but he struck out , who had a home run in the fourth inning, after running the count full.
"We've seen [Ramos] have innings where he usually gets out of those," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "Quite honestly, he gets himself in a little bit of a mix, and he usually gets out of those."
Sewald came out for the 10th inning, and with one out, Realmuto drove the ball over the left-field wall for his first career walk-off homer.
The Marlins remain one loss or a Rockies win vs. the Giants on Wednesday away from being eliminated for the second National League Wild Card spot.

The Mets went ahead, 3-1, in the sixth inning on 's two-out, two-run home run off . In the ninth inning, the Mets added an insurance run on ' RBI single. Reyes had four hits, including a home run on the night.
The Mets continue to play it safe with right-hander , who was lifted after five innings and 83 pitches. The right-hander is dealing with a partial ligament tear in his throwing elbow, and is having his workload closely monitored.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
First-pitch swinging: With two outs and Reyes on first base, Despaigne went with an elevated first-pitch fastball to d'Arnaud, and the Mets' catcher was ready. In swing mode, d'Arnaud jumped all over the 92.8-mph fastball and gave it a ride. Yelich went back in center to the wall, and watched the ball land in the shrubs for a two-run homer that put the Mets in front, 3-1. The exit velocity, according to Statcast™, was 102.4 mph and the projected distance 412 feet. For d'Arnaud, it was another opportunity to do damage against Miami. He entered the game with a .345 batting average off Marlins pitching. He now has three home runs and nine RBIs in 10 games this season against Miami.
Justin time: Down three runs and tasked with facing Ramos, Bour ignited Miami's three-run ninth-inning rally in a big way. On the first batter Ramos faced at Marlins Park since being traded to the Mets, Bour smacked a 2-2 slider into the right-center-field seats for a solo shot. Bour's 22nd homer led to Ramos' first blown save with the Mets. 

"I know he was all fired up about getting in there tonight," Mets manager Terry Collins said of Ramos. "He just didn't get it done."
QUOTABLE
"If you put it out over the plate, he might kill you." -- Lugo, on his strategy of pitching inside to Marlins slugger
"It was weird. When I stepped in the box, I looked at d'Arnaud and I was like, 'Man, this is awkward. I've caught this guy a ton of innings, but I've never stepped in the box against him.' I knew exactly what he was about to do to me, but it still looks way different when you're in the box." -- Realmuto, on his at-bat against Ramos in the ninth inning, when he legged out an infield single
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Yelich, who made his MLB debut in 2013, now has 59 home runs, with 18 of them at Marlins Park.
Reyes collected at least four hits for the 26th time as a Met, the most games in franchise history.
UNDER REVIEW
Holding a one-run lead, the Mets didn't waste much time challenging a close play in the first inning. With Stanton on first, Yelich bounced to first. went to second for the force on Stanton, and Reyes threw to Lugo covering at first as Yelich was crossing the bag. New York challenged whether Yelich was safe at first. The review lasted one minute and one second, and the call was overturned. The overturn completed the double play, ending the inning for Miami.

WHAT'S NEXT
Mets: Right-hander (5-10, 5.08 ERA) demonstrated marked improvement in July and August, but has quietly reverted to his old ways with a 4.80 ERA and 12 walks in 15 innings this month. He'll look to change that trend when he returns to the mound for the Mets' 1:10 p.m. ET series finale Wednesday at Marlins Park.
Marlins: The Marlins wrap up their three-game series with the Mets at 1:10 p.m. ET at Marlins Park. (13-6, 3.62 ERA) gets the nod. Urena is 4-5 with a 3.17 ERA at home, compared to 9-1 (4.08) on the road.
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