MIAMI — One rough inning wasn’t going to sabotage Jonah Tong’s major league return.
Back to the laboratory after allowing four runs in the second inning on Monday, the rookie right-hander utilized a steady array of changeups and cutters for his final three frames, largely avoiding his four-seam fastball. The adjustment helped Tong finish strong.
Tong got the win and the Mets won for the fourth time in five games, 9-4 over the Marlins at loanDepot park.
This team playing for next season has started reevaluating the 23-year-old Tong, a third rookie to join Nolan McLean and Zac Thornton in the rotation.
Tong allowed four earned runs on four hits and one walk with a hit batsman over five innings and struck out seven. It was a welcome return to the major leagues for Tong (who had two previous stints with the club) after he pitched to a 0.84 ERA in his last four starts for Triple-A Syracuse.
A 16-hit attack carried the Mets, who were swept three games in this ballpark on Memorial Day weekend and had lost four straight here overall, including Game 162 last season, when they fell a victory short of the playoffs.
The Mets capitalized on sloppy Miami defense to score the game’s first run. Bo Bichette hit a grounder that Javier Sonja threw into left field attempting to get the force at second, allowing Juan Soto to score. Bichette scored when catcher Joe Mack threw errantly to second base attempting to nail Carson Benge stealing.
Nick Morabito’s RBI single in the third followed a Brett Baty double and gave the Mets a 3-0 lead.
Tong struck out the first four batters he faced before getting knocked round in the second inning.
After Sanoja delivered an RBI triple, Tong walked Owen Caissie and surrendered a three-run homer to Graham Pauley that gave the Marlins a 4-3 lead. Pauley hit a 95-mph four-seamer on the outside corner over the right-field fence.
Francisco Alvarez’s RBI single in the fourth tied the game after Marcus Semien’s leadoff double and A.J. Ewing reached on an infield single.
Bichette’s RBI single in the fifth reclaimed the lead for the Mets. With two outs, Ewing stroked a two-run double that extended the Mets’ lead to 7-4. The rally started with singles by Francisco Lindor and Soto.
Semien’s RBI double in the sixth widened the Marlins’ deficit to 8-4 before Ewing delivered his third hit of the game, an RBI single.
