NEW YORK -- Upon being told he was responsible for the longest at-bat in the history of the Florida/Miami Marlins, Dee Gordon grinned.

"Probably the most strikeouts (in a game), too," he said.

He was right, but the first four-strikeout game of Gordon's career was a lot easier to take in conjunction after he singled to end a 16-pitch eighth inning at-bat and eventually came around to score the winning run in the Marlins' 2-1 victory over the New York Mets at Citi Field.

Mets starter Noah Syndergaard needed just 16 pitches to strike out Gordon in the latter's first three plate appearances. Gordon then led off the eighth inning by falling behind 1-2 against Syndergaard's replacement, Jim Henderson. But he fouled off 11 straight 2-2 pitches before singling to left.

"It was like seven pitches, then I looked up (and) it was 13," a wide-eyed Gordon said as he stroked his chin. "I was like 'What?' So I just kept battling."

Gordon then stole second before Henderson retired Marcell Ozuna on a pop-up and walked Christian Yelich and Giancarlo Stanton. Pinch-hitter Martin Prado greeted Jerry Blevins with a sacrifice fly to deep center field and Gordon scored without a throw.

"Obviously that was a huge at-bat -- just kept fighting and fighting and fighting," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "When you do that and then end up with the hit -- even if you don't, it's a great at-bat. But when you end up with the hit, it's something that really is uplifting to a club."

Gordon struck out in the ninth to tie the team record for most strikeouts in a game, set 84 times before. But he was all smiles afterward.

"Take away what happened the whole beginning of the day," Gordon said. "That was the most important at-bat for me at that time. I had to do my job."

The eighth-inning rally made a winner out of David Phelps, who allowed one walk in two hitless innings. A.J. Ramos worked around a two-out single in the ninth for his second save.

Third baseman Derek Dietrich had two hits, including an RBI single in the fourth, for the Marlins (3-3), who have won the first two games of the three-game series against the defending National League champion Mets.

"Getting us back to .500 today, it's good for us," Mattingly said. "And we get a chance to sweep tomorrow."

Henderson, who entered the game with seven strikeouts over three perfect innings this season, took the loss. He threw 34 pitches in recording just one out.

"Difference in the whole game -- you've got to give him credit," Mets manager Terry Collins said of Gordon's at-bat.

Lucas Duda had an RBI single in the first inning for the Mets (2-5), who have scored just six runs during a four-game losing streak.

Both starters were gone by the time the game was decided, but the anticipated duel between Syndergaard and the Marlins' Jose Fernandez lived up to expectations.

Syndergaard, throwing a fastball that reached 100 mph and a slider that touched 93 mph, allowed one run on seven hits and one walk while striking out 12 over seven innings. He retired the first eight batters he faced, including six by strikeout, before Fernandez beat out an infield single.

"My gosh almighty, he was tremendous tonight," Collins said. "He did exactly what you wanted, he got us into the eighth inning. We just couldn't put anything on the board to give him to work with."

Fernandez allowed one run on three hits and three walks while striking out five over five innings. He threw 51 pitches in the first two innings but set down the final 10 batters he faced, including six by strikeout.

NOTES: Following the game, the Mets optioned INF Eric Campbell to Triple-A Las Vegas and recalled RHP Rafael Montero from the same affiliate. The Mets are still playing with a 24-man roster because they don't want to place RHP Jacob deGrom, who is in Florida following the birth of his son, on paternity leave in case he needs a stint on the disabled list for his right lat injury. ... RHP Logan Verrett will start Wednesday in place of deGrom, who was scratched Sunday, one day before his son was born. ... Marlins OF Ichiro Suzuki recorded his 2,936th career hit -- breaking a tie for 34th place all-time with Miami hitting coach Barry Bonds -- by beating out a pinch-hit infield single in the sixth. ... Marlins manager Don Mattingly said LHP Mike Dunn (forearm) experienced a setback during a throwing session and will see team doctors.