Taijuan Walker’s gem carries Mets by Marlins to end strong road trip

MIAMI — Taijuan Walker’s challenging second half has included lower-back discomfort and a blister, both of which undoubtedly contributed to a subpar stretch. 

The best version the Mets have seen of the right-hander since the All-Star break was on display Sunday, just in time to help his team claim a series win and ensure it would return home in first place. 

Walker delivered, with seven strong innings in a 9-3 victory over the Marlins to complete a road trip that appeared tenuous at times for the Mets but still resulted in four victories in six games. The Mets’ NL East lead is up to 1 1/2 games. 

“We have been playing good baseball,” Walker said. “All year what we have been doing is trying to win series. We’re not trying to be too perfect and win every game, but I think if we continue to win series we will be in a good spot.” 

Walker’s final line included one run allowed on five hits with 10 strikeouts. His seven-inning outing was his longest since July 10, also against Miami. 

Still feeling effects of the blister that emerged in his last start, Walker largely avoided his splitter and relied on his fastball. 

“The biggest thing it tells me is a lot of teams know that I throw a lot of splitters and today when I got to two strikes I surprised them a lot with the fastball,” Walker said. “The more I can add that in and have that good command of the fastball, I think I won’t have to rely on my splitter as much.” 

Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil and Tomas Nido each reached base four times in providing the bulk of the offensive support Walker needed. Nimmo smashed a three-run homer in the second for the Mets’ loudest hit of the afternoon and Nido’s two-run double in the fifth built a cushion for Walker. Later, Nido homered. 

Walker’s dominant performance followed a solid start by Carlos Carrasco, as the Mets continue to navigate Max Scherzer’s absence from the rotation as he rehabs a left oblique irritation. 

Brian Anderson’s leadoff homer in the fourth accounted for the Marlins’ only scoring against Walker. In the eighth, Anderson hit a two-run homer against Seth Lugo. 

“Tai gave up the home run and I thought that kind of ticked him off,” manager Buck Showalter said, adding that Walker at 87 pitches wanted to continue into the eighth, but work was needed for Lugo and Adam Ottavino. 

Nimmo’s three-run homer in the second gave the Mets a 3-0 lead. McNeil singled in the inning and Nido walked before Nimmo cleared the fence in right-center against Jesus Luzardo for homer No. 14 this season. 

The lefty Luzardo’s nightmare was just beginning. In the third, he plunked Francisco Lindor and walked Eduardo Escobar before McNeil’s RBI single extended the Mets’ lead to 4-0. 

In the fourth, Nimmo walked to reach base for the third time in the game and Lindor’s single loaded the bases. Pete Alonso’s RBI fielder’s choice sank the Marlins in a 5-0 hole. 

Nido, whose single in the fourth began a Mets scoring rally, stroked a two-run double in the fifth after Escobar singled leading off and McNeil walked. Nimmo followed with a walk and stole second after Nido had reached on a wild pitch. Nimmo entered the day 0-for-2 in stolen base attempts this season. 

Escobar and Nido homered in the ninth to extend the Mets’ lead to 9-3. Escobar’s homer was his fifth in nine games and Nido’s was his first of the season. 

The Mets (who are 5-4 against sub-.500 teams this month) now return to Citi Field for a seven-game homestand against the Cubs and Pirates. 

“We won two series on the road in September,” Showalter said. “Are we supposed to feel bad? You have to stay in reality. That is why you don’t take heed of the noise and keep grinding. Our guys feel like they are not going away.”