Mets Beat Marlins, Snap Losing Streak

The Mets snapped their four-game losing streak Friday night, needing the lowly Marlins to come to town to do it.

With Jonathon Niese on the mound for the Mets, Giancarlo Stanton hit a laser into the seats in left in the second inning to give the Marlins a 1-0 lead. It was estimated at 437 feet.

Andrew Brown answered that in the bottom of the second with a mammoth home run into the second deck in left to tie the score at one.

Back-to-back doubles by the Marlins in the fifth made it 2-1. A single put runners on first and third with one out. The Marlins looked primed for a big inning but opposing pitcher Brad Hand bunted into a double play to end the frame.

The Mets took the lead in the sixth inning when Lucas Duda actually came through for once, hitting a three-run homer to make it a 4-2 game.

Stanton added a second solo blast in the seventh to cut the lead to 4-3. After allowing a single, Terry Collins pulled a clearly unhappy Niese from the game.

Niese ended up going 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out seven.

LaTroy Hawkins was called upon in the ninth to protect the one-run lead. His first batter was Stanton, and he struck him out. Justin Ruggiano was next — he flew out to the warning track in right-center. Logan Morrison grounded out to end the game.

Mets hang on for the 4-3 win.