MIAMI – Francisco Lindor had three hits, including his 22nd home run, Mark Canha launched a grand slam to cap an eight-run fourth inning and the New York Mets routed the Miami Marlins 11-3 on Saturday night.
Eduardo Escobar also went deep among his three hits for the Mets, who began the night trailing in the NL East for the first time since April 11. Defending champion Atlanta overtook New York by a half-game Friday and played at Seattle late Saturday.
Canha opened the fourth with a walk against Miami starter Pablo Lopez and polished off the outburst by connecting off reliever Andrew Nardi for his first career slam to put the Mets ahead 9-1.
Escobar had an RBI double, James McCann and Lindor added run-scoring singles and Jeff McNeil hit a sacrifice fly in the Mets’ highest-scoring inning of the season.
Lindor made it 10-1 with his solo shot against Nardi in the fifth. The four-time All-Star also doubled and singled.
Carlos Carrasco overcame an early Marlins advantage and pitched six innings of one-run ball. In his second start since returning from the injured list, Carrasco (14-6) allowed four hits and struck out six. The right-hander retired 11 straight before Jon Berti‘s one-out double in the sixth.
Escobar led off the seventh with his 16th homer against Jeff Brigham.
Lopez (8-10) gave up eight runs and 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings. He has allowed 14 runs and 22 hits in his last two starts against New York.
Garrett Cooper hit an RBI double off Carrasco in the first before New York tied it on McNeil’s run-scoring double in the third.
AWAY FROM HOME
The Mets (42-29) clinched a winning record on the road. It marks the first time New York will finish above .500 at home and away since 2016.
ROSTER MOVE
The Mets recalled INF Mark Vientos from Triple-A Syracuse. The 22-year-old Vientos has 24 homers and 72 RBIs with the club’s top minor league affiliate this season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: RF Starling Marte (right middle finger fracture) was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Sept. 7. With the fracture being non-displaced, there was optimism Marte would heal quickly, but the club opted for the IL stint.
Marlins: OF Avisail Garcia exited after the top of the first because of left hamstring discomfort.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Taijuan Walker (10-4, 3.60 ERA) seeks his fourth win against Miami this season when he starts the series finale Sunday.
Marlins: LHP Jesus Luzardo (3-6, 3.36) has completed at least six innings in each of his last four…