Rookie Christian Scott has first rocky start, Mets get shut out in loss to Marlins

Friday’s start against the Miami Marlins didn’t seem like much of an uphill battle for rookie Christian Scott after he held his own against a mighty Braves lineup and respectable Rays team in the first two starts of his career.

But Scott ran into trouble early and registered the worst start of his young career in Friday’s 8-0 loss to the Marlins at LoanDepot Park.

At first, Scott looked ready to keep impressing the Mets. He started the game with an easy 1-2-3 inning in the first frame, but all four of his earned runs came in the next inning. Miami’s Otto Lopez put his team on the board with a sacrifice fly that scored Jesus Sanchez. Then with a runner already on, shortstop Vidal Brujan singled to center.

No. 9 hitter Nick Fortes followed up with a three-run homer to left that extended the lead to 4-0. Jazz Chisholm Jr. fouled out to left afterwards, capping a rough four-hit, 26-pitch second frame for Scott.

The 24-year-old ended his night on a high note, however. He ran into even more trouble in the fourth inning after loading the bases before recording an out. Jeff McNeil’s error was to blame for Lopez reaching first. Scott then gave up a hit to Brujan and later walked Fortes in six pitches.

But Scott prevailed and managed to keep the game from getting ugly. The righty struck out Chisholm and got Bryan De La Cruz to fly out to shortstop Francisco Lindor. Slugger Josh Bell then hit a grounder to Lindor and the shortstop got the force out at second.

Scott keeping it together serves as a consolation prize on a night where he didn’t have his best stuff. He exited the game after allowing seven hits, four runs and one walk in four innings of work. He threw 84 pitches and recorded three strikeouts. Scott’s ERA now sits at 4.32 after entering Friday’s game at 2.84.

The Mets couldn’t get any offense going against Marlins starter Jesus Luzardo, who entered Friday’s game with a 5.97 ERA. He recorded three 1-2-3 frames in his six innings of work. He allowed no runs, zero walks, five hits and struck out seven over 89 pitches.

Marlins relievers Anthony Bender, Burch Smith and Anthony Maldonado totaled one hit in three scoreless innings to keep the shutout intact.

Mets reliever Josh Walker’s wild pitch in the sixth allowed Brujan to score a run. De La Cruz’s sacrifice fly in the frame extended the lead to 6-0. Walker allowed three hits, two runs, a walk and struck out two in two innings of work.

Grant Hartwig recorded a scoreless seventh, but allowed two more runs in the eighth.

The Mets’ offense registered six hits and didn’t draw a walk until the ninth inning.

The Mets will try to defeat their NL East foe with Luis Severino (3.00 ERA) on the mound Saturday. Braxton Garrett will get the start for the Marlins.