Talk about a Friday night fireworks show at Citi Field! If you blinked, you might’ve missed it… because the New York Mets absolutely unloaded on the Miami Marlins in a jaw-dropping offensive avalanche that left fans cheering, Marlins staring into the abyss, and the record books gasping for breath.
Jonah Tong’s Dream Debut Sets the Stage Early
Let’s give a round of applause to Jonah Tong, who made his MLB debut like a guy who’s been quietly plotting this moment for years. Six pitches in the top of the first, three outs — boom, done. And before he could even get a sip of water in the dugout, the Mets had given him five runs of support.
That early blast came courtesy of Juan Soto, who mashed his 33rd home run of the year, because of course he did — the man lives for the big moment. Then Brandon Nimmo stepped in and launched a three-run nuke to make it 5-0 before the Marlins had even exhaled.
Historic Run Barrage Leaves Miami Reeling
And just when you thought the storm had passed… here came the second inning. Pete Alonso — the Polar Bear himself — started it off with a two-run homer (RBI No. 110 on the season, just behind Schwarber). That opened the gates for a seven-run inning that saw the Mets go 12-0 before Miami could even blink twice. Francisco Lindor’s two-run double capped a nine-batter on-base streak, and at that point, you just felt bad for the Marlins’ bullpen.
By the time the eighth inning rolled around, the Mets tacked on another six runs for good measure — because hey, if you’re gonna break records, might as well shatter them.
Every single Mets starter had a hit. Every single one scored a run. Tong finished with five innings, six strikeouts, and just one earned run allowed. Efficiency, meet electricity.
Mets Gain Ground in Wild-Card Chase
Now, let’s talk standings for a second: the Mets, at 73-62, are still five games behind the Phillies in the NL East, but they’ve carved out a comfy five-game cushion over the Reds for the final wild-card slot. And with Cincy losing in extras to the Cards, the Mets have a little breathing room.
Are they going to win every game 19-9? No. But if they can keep even a fraction of this momentum rolling into September, they’re going to be a tough out in October.
The Mets are surging — and if Friday night was any indication, they’re not slowing down anytime soon.
