Marlins Fall To Mets 2-1 In Game One Of Doubleheader
NEW YORK (AP) -- R.A. Dickey pitched seven spotless innings and the New York Mets, back on the field following a two-day break because of Hurricane Irene, beat the Florida Marlins 2-1 in the opener of a doubleheader Monday.
Justin Turner had a run-scoring single and Josh Thole hustled his way to an RBI for the Mets, who have won three straight following a 2-11 skid. Jason Isringhausen struck out all three batters in the eighth and Bobby Parnell gave up a homer to New York nemesis Gaby Sanchez in the ninth before earning his second save.
A boy in the stands got hurt in the ninth inning when Florida's Greg Dobbs hit a line drive into the right-field seats, just beyond the New York dugout. Stadium medical workers immediately tended to the boy, who appeared to be hit in the face and was bleeding heavily. Accompanied by his mother, he was carted away in a wheelchair after the game and taken under the stands to an ambulance.
Following the final out, a concerned Turner went over from his second base position to wait for the boy by the railing. Turner took off his jersey and handed it over as a souvenir. Dobbs gave the boy a bat, and Mets manager Terry Collins also talked to the boy and his mother.
Both teams were playing for the first time since Friday because of Hurricane Irene, which battered the East Coast over the weekend. The Marlins rode out the storm in Philadelphia, then bused up to New York on Sunday night.
Dickey (6-11) lost power at his Long Island home during the storm, but he was steady on the mound all afternoon. Floating 60 mph knuckleballs at the Marlins, he scattered seven hits and walked one while striking out six.
It was Dickey's seventh consecutive quality start, the best such streak of his career. Hampered by a lack of run support, however, he was 0-3 in his previous five outings.
The right-hander finally got some good fortune in the sixth when Dobbs lined out to third with runners at the corners and one out. Sanchez flied out to end the inning.
Florida opened the seventh with consecutive singles, but Dickey picked off Mike Cameron at second and then worked his way out of the inning.
Lucas Duda three hits for the Mets, who won for the first time in five home games against Florida this year. The Marlins had won six in a row at Citi Field since Aug. 25, 2010.
Anibal Sanchez (7-7) allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings for the Marlins, who dropped to 4-18 since a three-game winning streak that culminated with two victories at Citi Field in early August.
The right-hander has lost six of seven decisions since improving to 6-1 on June 10. Just before the Marlins left Philadelphia on Sunday, he tuned up for his start by playing catch with pitching coach Randy St. Claire near the team hotel.
Ricky Nolasco started the nightcap against New York rookie Dillon Gee. Batting leadoff for the Mets was All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes, activated from the disabled list between games.
Only a few thousand fans were scattered throughout the stands for the start of the first game, a makeup of an Aug. 3 rainout and the opener of a five-game series. But with Hurricane Irene having already swept through the area, the sky was blue and clear on a beautiful, 76-degree day.
The field appeared to be in fine shape, although the grounds crew manicured the mound before Dickey warmed up in the fourth.
Turner bounced an RBI single through the left side to put New York ahead in the second.
The Mets loaded the bases with one out in the third on a walk and two soft singles -- one misplayed by right fielder Mike Stanton. Anibal Sanchez had a chance to escape unscathed, but had trouble finding first base with his foot on a potential 3-6-1 double play. Thole ran into Sanchez at the bag, tumbled to the turf and was called safe on a close play, allowing a run to score.
Florida's 80-year-old manager, Jack McKeon, waddled from the third-base dugout over to first for a long argument with umpire Mike Estabrook and crew chief Fieldin Culbreth. An animated McKeon, barking the whole way, then tracked Culbreth side by side all the way back to the ump's spot at third.
Culbreth let McKeon have his say, however, and the manager was not ejected.
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