Marlins take lead in 9th vs. Mets, but rain forces suspension

The Miami Marlins rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth inning to take a 2-1 lead before their game against the host New York Mets was suspended due to heavy rain late Thursday night into early Friday.

In the same half-inning that Miami went in front, play was halted at 9:41 p.m. EDT after Reed Garrett allowed a single to Jon Berti, putting runners at first and second with two outs. The game was suspended at 12:58 a.m. and is expected to resume Monday if there are postseason implications for the Marlins.

The tarp was removed at 12:23 a.m. when rain appeared to slightly subside. The tarp returned about 10 minutes later, and the game was suspended following a 3-hour, 17-minute delay.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a tying double with one out in the ninth, and pinch hitter Yuli Gurriel followed with a go-ahead single.

Miami (82-76) end the night a half-game ahead of the Cubs (82-77) for the National League's third and final wild-card spot after Chicago lost 5-3 to the Atlanta Braves. The Marlins won four of six meetings with the Cubs this season to claim the head-to-head tiebreaker.

As heavy rain began and several fans headed for protection in the concourses with New York leading 1-0, Miami's Bryan De La Cruz opened the ninth with a base hit off Grant Hartwig. After Garrett Hampson struck out, De La Cruz took second on Anthony Kay's wild pitch to the backstop.

Chisholm then ended the shutout with a double off the top of the left field wall. Chisholm scored when Gurriel batted for Nick Fontes and lined a double off Kay to left for a 2-1 lead.

After a flyout, Garrett took over and the mound and yielded the single to Berti before play was stopped.

Rafael Ortega hit an RBI single off Andrew Nardi to give the Mets (72-86) a 1-0 lead in the eighth.

Miami starter Jesus Luzardo allowed one run on four hits in 7 1/3 innings. He struck out 10 and walked one in his third double-digit strikeout game of the season.

New York starter David Petterson gave up four hits in seven scoreless innings. He struck out eight, walked four and threw 113 pitches while matching his longest outing of the season.

Before rallying in the ninth, the Marlins saw a run get taken off the board by a video review.

In the fifth, Berti hit a grounder to shortstop Francisco Lindor, who got the force at second. De La Cruz, who opened the inning with a single, appeared to score from third before the force was completed, but after about a six-minute review, umpires determined De La Cruz didn't touch the plate in time.