J.D. Davis' slam ignites Mets in rout of Marlins

NEW YORK -- J.D. Davis hit his first major league grand slam, James McCann launched a three-run homer and the New York Mets routed the Miami Marlins 10-0 on Thursday night behind a splendid start from Trevor Williams.

Davis set a career high with five RBIs and Williams (2-5) pitched seven innings of two-hit ball as the NL East leaders won easily in the opener of a four-game series to improve to 6-2 against Miami this season.

Starling Marte and Davis each had three of New York's 12 hits. Davis also scored three times and combined with McCann to give the Mets eight RBIs from the bottom two spots in their batting order.

"Hitting is contagious from a team standpoint," McCann said. "It's not just one guy or two guys in the lineup getting the job done. If you look across the season it's been a different guy really every day."

Davis scored on Brandon Nimmo's double in the third to put New York in front and delivered an RBI single in the fourth. McCann followed with his second home run of the season, connecting off starter Daniel Castano (1-2) to make it 6-0.

"I was just looking for a pitch," McCann said. "Elevate (and) I could do some damage on, and drive it into the outfield. I got one and was able to do that."

Davis came up with the bases loaded in the fifth and hammered a hanging breaking ball from reliever Jimmy Yacabonis over the left-field wall.

"Pretty excited to get my first grand slam," said Davis, who thought his last one came in college. "That was my first pro one, so that's pretty cool."

Williams, a long reliever and spot starter, struck out seven, walked none and retired 13 straight batters during one stretch.

"It seemed like he had pretty good stuff early on," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "He's not a guy who throws the ball in the middle of the plate much. He's going to be on both edges. You've got to get him up in the zone. You've got to try to get him in the middle. If you're chasing edges at all you're going to be in for a little bit of a long day. So he kind of kept us off balance."

Jake Reed worked two innings to finish the two-hitter. It was the Mets' 12th shutout this year, tied with the New York Yankees for most in the majors.

The Mets scored in double digits for the ninth time and won their fourth in five games overall.

Castano was tagged for six runs - five earned - and nine hits in four innings. His ERA rose from 2.42 to 3.60.

"I thought he was making pitches," Mattingly said. "Obviously the three-run homer hurt him and drove his pitch count up."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Marlins: 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. went through a workout at Class A Jupiter as he recuperates from a lower back strain. ... LF Jorge Soler hit off a tee and did some running agility exercises as he rehabs from bilateral pelvis inflammation.

Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom is scheduled to make his second rehab start Friday for Class A St. Lucie. He's been sidelined all season because of a stress reaction in his right scapula. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has gone a year without pitching in the majors. He was out after July 7 last season due to right forearm tightness and a sprained elbow.

BULLPEN SHUFFLE

Reed was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse earlier in the day when RHP Adonis Medina was optioned down.

UP NEXT

Marlins: RHP Pablo Lopez (5-4, 2.97 ERA) starts Friday night at Citi Field.

Mets: RHP Chris Bassitt (6-5, 4.01) makes his first start since June 25. He missed his last turn in the rotation after being placed on the COVID-19 injured list.

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