MIAMI — The Mets’ patchwork pitching plan worked out just fine Friday night, but a sputtering lineup couldn’t help the cause.

After scoring just two runs in Washington a day earlier and escaping with a victory, the Mets went backward.

Juan Soto homered in the first inning and silence followed for the Mets in a 2-1 loss to the Marlins.

The Mets, who had only four base-runners, wasted a solid pitching performance from Tobias Myers, Sean Manaea and Jonah Tong, who combined to limit the Marlins to five hits.

Tong was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse before the game, with Craig Kimbrel designated for assignment.

Soto had the Mets’ only two hits (he also singled in the fourth) until A.J. Ewing’s single in the eighth.

But Ewing was thrown out attempting to steal second for the final out.

In the ninth, Carson Benge drew a two-out walk from Pete Fairbanks before Bo Bichette was retired.

“We have been playing a good baseball the last couple of days,” Soto said. “I feel like we scored a good amount of runs in D.C., and before that we took care of business [at home]. We have been doing well. It was a tough day today and sometimes you have got to tip your cap to a guy who is throwing 100 [mph] and then his offspeed.”

Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on May 22, 2026 in Miami, Florida. Getty Images

Eury Pérez’s heat created much of the Mets’ angst, but the right-hander also entered the day with a 5.33 ERA.

He toyed with the Mets over 6 ¹/₃ innings before the Marlins’ bullpen finished strong, with five strikeouts over the final 2 ²/₃ frames.

“You take the positive, obviously it’s not what you want as far as the results,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “But on a night we went in there trying to piece it together there was a lot of good things from the pitching staff. We just didn’t get anything other than a couple of at-bats from Soto, a couple of hard-hit balls from Benge. Other than that, we couldn’t put together anything against Perez.”

Soto’s fourth home run in as many games gave the Mets a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Soto’s 449-foot blast to right-center against Pérez continued a sizzling stretch for the All-Star outfielder, who began the day with a 1.357 OPS over his previous eight games.

Soto’s thunder included a two-homer game on Wednesday in Washington.

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Tobias Myers, as the opener, worked 1 ¹/₃ innings and allowed one earned run.

Esteury Ruiz doubled and stole third, before he scored on Owen Caissie’s ground out.

Myers served as an opener for a second time this season.

New York Mets relief pitcher Jonah Tong (21) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at loanDepot Park. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Caissie’s RBI single in the fourth against Manaea put the Mets in a 2-1 hole.

Manaea got two quick outs in the inning before Ruiz hit a slicing fly ball to right that bounced as Benge slid toward the foul line.

Ruiz raced to third base.

Tobias Myers, right, hands the bal to manager Carlos Mendoza, left, after being relieved during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Miami. AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

Nick Morabito’s diving catch in left helped prevent a run in the fifth.

Javier Sanoja doubled leading off the inning and stole third with two outs before Connor Norby hit a sinking line drive that Morabito snagged on a dive.

Jakob Marsee’s leaping catch near the top of the center-field fence deprived Benge of an extra-base hit for the Mets’ final out in the sixth.

Manaea gave the Mets 3 ²/₃ innings in relief and allowed one earned run on four hits with three strikeouts.

It was the lefty’s first appearance since last Sunday in the Subway Series, when he allowed two earned runs over four innings in relief.

Manaea has struggled for most of the season before showing glimpses of hope more recently.

“He’s just a different guy right now with the way he’s moving on the mound, with his delivery, the way the ball is coming out,” Mendoza said. “He’s attacking and it’s just good to see him get swings and misses with his fastball. When he’s at his best he does that, he can elevate it, the two-seamer going into righties, it makes all the other pitches more effective.”

Tong was also effective, with three hitless innings in which he struck out two and walked one.

“It was awesome to be out there with the boys again,” said Tong, who started five games for the Mets’ last season.