Báez's late homer, slick slide lead Mets past Marlins 5-3

MIAMI (AP) — Javier Báez hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning after scoring on a nifty slide in the second, and the New York Mets snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-3 victory over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.

The Mets, who had lost five of six, let an early 3-0 lead slip away but recovered to maintain their 1 1/2-game lead in the NL East over surging Philadelphia.

Báez, acquired in a trade-deadline deal with the Chicago Cubs last Friday, put New York back in front 4-3 with an opposite-field drive off Anthony Bass (1-7) that sailed into the front row of seats in right.

It was Báez’s 24th home run this season and second with his new team — he has gone deep in both Mets wins since the trade. After rounding third on this one, he gestured in the direction of Miami’s dugout and had a few words to say.

“It was just some trash-talking basically from some fans behind the dugout,” Báez said. “They were disrespecting me. ... It was good-natured.”

The Mets, who pounded out 11 hits, added an insurance run in the eighth when Michael Conforto raced home on a passed ball by Alex Jackson. Conforto singled after Báez’s homer.

New York took advantage of some sloppy execution by the Marlins to score three runs after loading the bases with no outs in the second.

Dominic Smith doubled, Báez singled and Conforto walked before Jonathan Villar drove in a run with a groundout. Tomás Nido followed with a sharp grounder to Jesús Aguilar at first base, and he fired home in plenty of time to get Báez.

But the throw was slightly up the line, and El Mago pulled back his left hand and reached around Jackson’s tag with his right to touch the plate safely on a slick headfirst slide.

“For me, that’s a sure out,” Mets manager...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/B-ez-s-late-homer-slick-slide-lead-Mets-past-16365229.php