Duda's 3 Hits Lead Mets Over Marlins For 5th Straight Win
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NEW YORK (AP) — Lucas Duda got three more hits and the New York Mets overcame Giancarlo Stanton's blast and Ichiro Suzuki's ballet to beat the Miami Marlins 7-5 Thursday night for their fifth straight win.
The Mets lost a replay challenge that took nearly six minutes, but wound up posting their longest winning streak since May 2013.
Wilmer Flores hit a three-run homer that helped the Mets rally from an early 3-0 deficit. Duda doubled twice and lined a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning, lifting the slugger's batting average to .395.
Stanton hit his first home run since a fastball to the face ended his season last September. It was his 155th career homer, moving him past Dan Uggla for most in Marlins' history.
Suzuki made a pair of headfirst dives into home plate on the same play, eluding catcher Travis d'Arnaud to make it 5-all in the seventh. Originally called out, the still spry at 41 Suzuki was ruled safe after a replay review that took 5 minutes, 44 seconds.
Jerry Blevins (1-0) got the win and Jeurys Familia closed for his fourth save. Mike Dunn (0-1) took the loss.
It was 5-all when pinch hitter John Mayberry Jr. walked and stole second with one out in the Mets seventh. Duda's two-out liner fell just beyond the dive of left fielder Christian Yelich, and Michael Cuddyer followed with his second RBI single.
Stanton launched a long, two-out drive in the first. He led the NL with 37 home runs despite a season-ending beaning on Sept. 11. Martin Prado homered for a 3-0 in the fourth.
The Mets made two key defensive plays in the sixth. D'Arnaud caught speedy Dee Gordon trying to steal second, then right fielder Curtis Granderson ran into the wall after catching J.T. Realmuto's bases-loaded drive with two outs.
New York manager Terry Collins also made his first replay challenge this season and won, with Realmuto losing an infield hit in the fifth.
Mets starter Dillon Gee struck out seven in 5 2-3 innings. He's pitched at least five innings in 48 straight starts, the longest active streak in the majors and two short of the team record held by Dwight Gooden.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: Yelich returned to the lineup after missing two games because of back tightness. ... RHP Henderson Alvarez (inflammation in shoulder and elbow) is expected to begin playing catch in the next few days. ... OF Don Kelly and C Jeff Mathis, both out with fractures, have been hand specialists and won't need surgery.
Mets: 3B David Wright (strained right hamstring) hopes to be able to start physical activities Friday. He got a cortisone shot Wednesday, a day after getting hurt.
UP NEXT
Marlins: RHP David Phelps makes his first start for Miami, facing the Mets on Friday night. He came off the paternity list and rejoined the team Thursday. Acquired from the Yankees in an offseason trade, he's pitched twice in relief.
Mets: RHP Bartolo Colon (2-0) starts Friday. He is 3-2 lifetime vs. the Marlins, and pitched a complete game the first time he faced them — in 2002, for the Montreal Expos against Florida.
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