MIAMI — This wasn’t exactly payback for all the late-season heartbreak the Marlins have inflicted on the Mets over the years, but it had to count for something.
After all, the Marlins began the week clinging to National League wild-card hopes.
They will end it as just another team that likely can focus exclusively on next season.
The Mets completed a three-game sweep of these dead fish with an ugly 15-14 victory Wednesday at loanDepot park.
Even so, it doesn’t erase the sting of losing Game 162 last season in this ballpark, when a victory would have pushed the Mets into the playoffs.
The Mets were also denied postseason berths in 2007 and ’08 with losses to the Marlins in the regular-season finales.
Only adding to the Mets’ angst this season, they were swept three games here Memorial Day weekend.
The Marlins were on life support at four games back for the NL’s third wild-card spot when this series began.
With the losses, they fell 6 ¹/₂ games behind the Diamondbacks and Padres.
Ultimately, this limited payback by the Mets likely won’t be remembered beyond the fact interim manager Andy Green’s team is surging headed into this weekend’s Subway Series in The Bronx.
The Mets completed the sweep the hard way, squandering an eight-run lead before exploding for six runs in the seventh.
Francisco Lindor’s three-run homer capped the inning.
But the Marlins erased most of that lead over their next three at-bats.
Tobias Myers finally got the final two outs in the ninth, entering after the Marlins had scored three runs in the inning.
The Mets have won four straight games and six of seven, which has included three straight series victories.
The Mets are 34-31 under Green, who replaced Carlos Mendoza as manager June 26.
After hitting three homers against Sandy Alcantara on Tuesday, the Mets kept the offensive machine rolling against Janson Junk and raced to an 8-0 lead after only three innings.
Starter Robert Stock pitched four innings for the Mets and allowed three earned runs on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
A.J. Ewing and Brett Baty each delivered an RBI single in the second inning to give the Mets a 2-0 lead. Baty left the game upon reaching first base with “left knee pain,” according to the team.
The Mets weren’t finished in the inning: Luis Torrens stroked a two-run double before Bo Bichette’s RBI single extended the lead to 5-0.
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Carson Benge’s RBI groundout completed the six-run inning.
Christopher Morel smashed a two-run homer in the third that buried the Marlins in an 8-0 hole. Ewing singled and stole second to begin the rally.
Stock was dented in the fourth, allowing all three of his runs. Joe Mack’s single delivered two runs. Stock hit and walked a batter in the frame.
Miami rallied to tie it 8-8 in the sixth inning with five runs on four hits and one walk against Chris Devenski, who recorded only one out.
Owen Caissie homered leading off the inning to start the barrage.
Ewing, Morel and Torrens each had an RBI in the seventh inning to give the Mets an 11-8 lead before Lindor unloaded for his second homer in as many games.
