MIAMI -- Excuse the New York Mets if they are sick of facing Marlins pitching.
On Saturday, the Mets were held to three hits for the second straight game in a 4-1 loss at loanDepot park.
Two of those three hits -- and the lone run in the loss -- came with two outs in the ninth.
The Mets have lost four of the past five.
“We are better, and we have seen that,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “At the same time, we have run into two good arms the past couple of days.”
New York has scored 10 runs in its past six games against the Marlins dating to Aug. 31 of last season.
Miami has won eight of the past 10 games against the Mets dating to April 2025, with two shutouts. The Marlins are going for the series sweep Sunday.
“I think the past couple of games we have faced some good pitching, and we haven’t been able to do what we want at the plate,” said Mark Vientos, who got the lone hit of the day against Miami starter Max Meyer (5-0) and ended with two of the three overall.
“We have to come back strong tomorrow. … Once 12 o’clock hits, it is a new day. Today is in the past, we need to focus on tomorrow.”
Meyer was splendid Saturday, striking out eight in his seven innings of work.
He did walk three and hit Vientos with one out in the seventh, drawing a visit to the mound. Meyer escaped the inning unscathed.
“He was pretty nasty today,” Mendoza said of Meyer. “We had a hard time putting together good at-bats as a whole, but you have to give him credit. He was on today. … It was one of those days where he had everything going for him.”
Vientos, who singled to lead off the second, drove in pinch-hitter Tyrone Taylor with two outs in the ninth for New York’s run.
Taylor got New York’s second hit of the day with a double to left off Andrew Nardi, making him the only Mets player to get into scoring position the entire game.
The Mets are ranked 25th in MLB in runs scored with 206.
“You have to keep going,” Mendoza said. “You cannot sit here and feel sorry for yourself. Yeah, you get frustrated at times, but you have to continue to grow.”
The Marlins did not do much offensively themselves, but they gave Meyer enough support. Liam Hicks had the big hits with a pair of solo home runs to right.
Miami took a 2-0 lead in the second on Owen Caissie’s double that bounded into the right-field corner after getting past a diving Vientos at first.
Freddy Peralta (3-4) gave the Mets a strong start, striking out nine in his seven innings.
Miami got its four runs off Peralta, however, knocking eight hits and drawing two walks.
Peralta going seven saved the Mets’ bullpen again. New York used three pitchers on Friday and two Saturday.
“The plus was the innings because I was able to save the bullpen,” Peralta said. “But, it wasn’t enough because we didn’t get the win. You have to understand this [lack of runs] happens, and we have to support each other. We just have to move forward.”