Marlins rally in 9th inning to take 2-1 lead over Mets before rain causes suspension

NEW YORK (AP) — Having rallied to take a ninth-inning lead against the New York Mets, the Miami Marlins were foiled by the weather once again at Citi Field.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Yuri Gurriel had consecutive run-scoring hits that put the Marlins ahead 2-1 Thursday night, but umpires soon ordered the tarp on the field and the game was suspended by rain at 12:58 a.m. after a 3-hour, 17-minute delay.

“Without getting into the details, obviously, this is an unfortunate incident,” said Marlins general manager Kim Ng, who declined comment when asked if the suspension could have been avoided or if the game could have been completed in the ninth.

Miami moved into the third and final NL wild card spot when the Chicago Cubs lost at Atlanta.

Miami (82-76) is a half-game ahead of the Cubs (82-77), who finish with three games at NL Central champion Milwaukee. The Marlins close with three games at Pittsburgh and would have to return to New York on Monday to complete the game against the Mets if it’s needed to determine a postseason spot.

Miami holds the tiebreaker against the Cubs after winning the season series 4-2.

San Diego (79-80) avoided elimination for another night because Miami couldn’t finalize a win.

The game would be resumed at the point of suspension if needed to determine a playoff berth. Under rule 7.02 (b) (4) (A), if the game isn’t needed to decide a postseason spot, the game would be called and the score would revert to a 1-0 Mets victory.

Ng spoke for less than a minute. No other players or staff members spoke with reporters as the Marlins prepared for their flight to Pittsburgh.

With rain letting up slightly, the tarp had been removed around 12:20 a.m. Miami manager Skip Schumaker became involved on the field in an