Travis d’Arnaud Homers In 16th, Mets Top Marlins 9-8 For Fifth Straight Win: Highlights

After a wild five hours and 38 minutes of play, the New York Mets edged the Marlins 9-8 in Miami on Thursday night in the first of four-game series thanks to a 16th-inning solo homer from Travis D’Arnaud.

Travis d’Arnaud Homers in 16th, Mets Beat Marlins 9-8 In Series Opener

The win marked the fifth consecutive for the Mets (7-3, 1st in NL East), who lead the majors with 20 home runs. Their starter Robert Gsellman allowed a career-high eight runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. In total, seven relievers combined to toss 10 1/3 scoreless innings.

D’Arnaud’s home run came on the 475th pitch of the game, and the first from Adam Conley (1-1), who was scheduled to start Friday’s game for Miami. The catcher’s rocket to left field led off the 16th frame and gave D’Arnaud a career-high four hits.

“I’m very impressed with the way the whole team played, the way [d’Arnaud] played,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “They rose up. They hung in there. They’re dog tired. Pretty impressive game to win.”

The game, which finished well after midnight, was the longest in the five-year history of Marlins Park.

D’Arnaud said he did not struggle at all to race home on his big hit, even after the fatigue of catching for 16 innings.

“The emotions of the home run helped lift my legs a little bit,” he said.

The catcher also contributed a bases-loaded triple in the second inning, while teammate Yoenis Cespedes recorded his second multi-homer game in three nights.

Marlins center fielder Marcell Ozuna smacked a grand slam in the first inning to raise his RBI total to 16, the most in MLB.

By the time the final inning began, the Mets were playing around with their roster so much they created bizarre combinations like using backup catcher Rene Rivera on the mound and starting pitcher Zack Wheeler as a first baseman. Right-hander Hansel Robles even called the dugout from the bullpen phone to offer extra help to keep the Mets alive.

D’Arnaud expressed admiration with not only how much his team’s rotation worked, but with their performance as well.

“They came in since the fifth? That’s [11 1/3] innings of zero-run baseball?” d’Arnaud said of the Mets’ entire bullpen. “That’s unbelievable.”

Miami had jumped to a four-run lead in the first inning on Ozuna’s third career grand slam. Cespedes and Wilmer Flores then put New York up 7-4, but the Marlins (4-5, third in NL East) regained the lead with a four-run fifth. Miami led 8-7 on Derek Dietrich’s RBI single, but the Mets tied it with Michael Conforto’s RBI double in the top of the eighth.

“It was kind of a crazy game,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “We’re up four, we’re tied, and then we’re down three. We get it back. We get the lead. It’s one of those games, you think it’s going to be crazy. I really felt like once they scored that we’re going to score, too.”

Miami lefty Wei-Yin Chen allowed six runs in three innings.

The two teams face off again 7:10 pm EST on Friday at Marlins Park for the second game of the four-game series. Noah Syndergaard will start for the Mets. The right-hander struck out nine Marlins over seven innings in his last outing, holding them to two runs, one earned.

Though Conley was supposed to start for the Marlins, righty Edinson Volquez will take the mound instead on regular rest.

MIAMI, FL – APRIL 13: Travis d’Arnaud #18 of the New York Mets with the go ahead homerun rounds the bases in the 16th inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park on April 13, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)