PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Miami Marlins are in no mood to go back to New York, or talk about New York for that matter.
The surprise playoff contenders arrived in Pittsburgh for a three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates around 6 a.m. after their game against the Mets on Thursday night was suspended with two outs in the top of the ninth inning with Miami up 2-1.
The teams sat through a rain delay of over three hours before the game was suspended at 12:58 a.m. At one point during the delay first-year manager Skip Schumaker exchanged words with a member of the grounds crew at Citi Field during a period when the tarp was removed.
“There was a disagreement and I’ll just leave it at that,” Schumaker said.
Schumaker made it a point to praise Major League Baseball, saying “MLB did a really good job of getting the game in. It just didn't happen. Ready to move on.”
The Marlins began Friday with a half-game lead over the Chicago Cubs for the third wild-card spot in the National League. Miami is trying to reach the postseason in a non-pandemic-shortened season for the first time since the franchise won the 2003 World Series.
Miami scored twice in the ninth inning to take the lead Thursday, but if the game is not finished, the score would revert to a 1-0 Mets victory in eight innings.
If Miami is a half-game behind the Cubs after Sunday's game, the Marlins would have to return to New York to complete the game on Monday. Miami won the season series from the Cubs 4-2 and holds the tiebreaker, so the game against the Mets would not have to be finished if Miami is a half-game ahead of the Cubs on Sunday night.
Schumaker would rather not think about it, instead trying to get his young team focused on beating the improved Pirates.
“If you’re not excited to come to the field right now, there’s something wrong with you,” he said.
Schumaker pointed out his team technically has 3 1/2 games left, jokingly adding “I don't think I've ever said that before.” He noted the players were out to take groundballs like normal during pregame.
“They’re in good spirits,” he said. "I think the faster you can move on through adversity the better big leaguer you’re going to be and the better person you’re going to be and we’ll be all right.”
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