Mets Fall to Streaking Marlins for Third Straight Loss
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The Florida Marlins are trying to make their move in the NL wild-card race.
Damion Easley, starting because of an injury to Luis Castillo, hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning, and the Marlins beat the Mets 6-4 last night to extend their winning streak to four.
Florida overcame a shaky outing by Dontrelle Willis, who allowed three homers for the first time in his career, including one to Mike Piazza in his return from the disabled list.
Miguel Cabrera also hit a two-run homer and Juan Pierre had four hits for the Marlins, who remained four games back of the wild-card leading Chicago Cubs and also trail San Diego and San Francisco.
Florida (67-62) moved five games over .500 for the first time since June 29. Last year, the Marlins surged with an 18-8 record in September and went on to win the wild card and their second World Series title in seven seasons.
Easley, in the lineup because Castillo was hit on the right foot by a pitch Sunday from Colorado’s Shawn Chacon, overcame a 4-3 deficit against Heath Bell (0-1), who was recalled before the game.
Pierre had an infield single to shortstop leading off the seventh, and Easley followed with his seventh homer. Mike Lowell added an RBI single for a two-run lead.
Rudy Seanez (2-1) got two outs for the win and Guillermo Mota pitched two hitless innings. Former Met Armando Benitez got three outs for his league-leading 39th save in 42 chances – sending the Mets to their eighth loss in nine games.
Florida retired New York’s final 12 batters, getting 11 of the outs from the bullpen.
Piazza, sidelined since August 6, played first base and went 1-for-4 with a solo homer in the third and two strikeouts.
Cabrera hit an RBI double in the first and put the Marlins ahead 3-1 with a sixth-inning homer off Al Leiter, who was pitching against the team he helped win the 1997 World Series title.
Willis, 5-0 against the Mets in his career, wasted the lead in the bottom half when he allowed a two-run homer to David Wright, who has seven homers since he was brought up from the minors on July 21.Two pitches later, Jason Phillips turned on a mistake at the letters, and put it over the left-field wall for a 4-3 lead.
For Florida, these road games against NL East rivals are key. The Marlins close the season with a 10-game trip to Atlanta, Montreal and Philadelphia.
