Mets 4, Marlins 3: Lucas Duda belted a go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth and Jonathon Niese tossed 6 1/3 solid innings as host New York snapped a four-game losing skid.
Andrew Brown led off the second inning with a mammoth shot into the second deck in left-center field. Brown scored twice for the Mets (65-81), who improved to 3-9 in September and prevented - for the moment - notching their fifth consecutive losing season.
Giancarlo Stanton went deep to lead off both the second and seventh innings for his third multihomer game of the season and ninth in his career. Donovan Solano ripped an RBI double in the fifth for the Marlins, who have dropped six of seven and 28 of their last 39 contests.
With Miami nursing a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning, Duda drilled a 2-2 curveball from Brad Hand (0-1) over the wall in right field for his 13th homer of the season - and first since Sept. 4.
Stanton's second blast and 22nd of the campaign brought the Marlins within one at 4-3, but Niese (7-7) rebounded to retire another batter. The left-hander exited after allowing three runs on six hits while striking out seven and three relievers bridged the gap to LaTroy Hawkins, who retired the side in the ninth for his ninth save.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Solano gave Miami a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning after following 1B Ed Lucas' double with one of his own down the right-field line. ... Making his first start of the season, Hand permitted four runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings to take the loss. ... Niese improved to 3-5 in his career versus the Marlins.
Miami | NY Mets | |
Ed Lucas | Player | Andrew Brown |
2 | Hits | 1 |
0 | RBI | 1 |
0 | HR | 1 |
3 | TB | 4 |
.667 | Avg | .500 |