Mets Beat Marlins for 5th Straight Win

After a 15-run outburst Monday, the Mets offense came back to earth Tuesday. But some late runs and another fine performance by Jonathon Niese gave the Mets their fifth straight win.

The Mets threatened in the first, loading the bases with two outs. But Wilmer Flores grounded out to end the inning. In fact, they had base runners in all four innings starter Brad Hand lasted, but they could not score.

The Marlins drew first blood in the third. Adeiny Hechavarria led off the inning with a walk. He was sacrificed to second and scored on a Dee Gordon single.

It stayed that way until two outs in the sixth when Flores hit a long drive to left, but giant Marlins Park contained it and it went for a double. Ruben Tejada then singled to right and Flores was sent home. The throw beat him but it was up the line; Flores was able to get around the tag to tie the score at one.

Lucas Duda led off the eighth with a single. Travis d’Arnaud followed suit to put runners on first and second. Flores was idiotically asked to bunt, and he popped up foul for the first out. Tejada struck out. Pinch hitter Eric Campbell lofted a single just over the head of the shortstop to score Duda and give the Mets a 2-1 lead. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. Juan Lagares tripled into the gap in right-center to plate two more runs. Granderson doubled to make it 5-1.

Niese went seven innings, allowing one run on just four hits. He struck out six and walked one. Niese raises his record to 6-9.

Tyler Clippard pitched a scoreless eighth. Jeurys Familia was a little shaky in the ninth. He allowed a lead off single. A wild pitch moved the runner to second. He then hit a batter. However, he was able to induce a double play and then a strikeout ended the game.

Mets win 5-1 to remain in first place in the NL East.