Morse's Single In 8th Lifts Marlins To 4-3 Win Over Mets
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – The Miami Marlins exercised some demons on Tuesday night at Marlins Park.
Marlins closer Steve Cishek did not sleep well after Monday night's 3-1 loss to the New York Mets.
Cishek allowed Daniel Murphy's three-run homer in the ninth inning for his second blown save of the season.
"That one really burned me," he said.
The right-hander got another opportunity to close out a game Tuesday night and sealed Miami's 4-3 victory over the Mets after Michael Morse hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning.
"You really couldn't have drawn it up any better than that," Cishek said.
Cishek walked leadoff hitter Curtis Granderson in the ninth before retiring the next three batters and earning his second save of the year.
"Steve's a huge part of our team and our bullpen, and to be able to get him back in that game after last night was huge - probably the most important thing we accomplished today," manager Mike Redmond said.
It was the Marlins' first win against the Mets this season in six tries. Miami has won six of seven overall.
"It's nice to prove to ourselves that we can beat them," said starter David Phelps, who allowed two runs in six innings. "It was shaping up to be another frustrating game against these guys, and we put some runs across."
Bryan Morris (3-0) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win.
Juan Lagares hit a three-run double and Murphy had three hits for the Mets (15-6), who lost for only the third time in 16 games.
Carlos Torres (1-1) walked two in the eighth before Morse singled to center field. Martin Prado slid home safely, beating the throw from Lagares to break a 3-all tie.
"It's just unfortunate that it took me so long to get back in the rhythm quicker, because I could have prevented one walk let alone two," Torres said.
It was Morse's first RBI since April 18.
"I got relaxed and just let my ability come out," Morse said. "I tried not to force anything. It's been a tough month and I think that's what I needed."
New York right-hander Rafael Montero was given a spot start to rest regular members of the rotation an extra day. He took a shutout into the sixth but was charged with three runs in 5 2-3 innings in his first start of the season. After the game, he was optioned back to Triple-A Las Vegas.
Montero retired his first nine batters, five on strikeouts.
"I was very, very impressed. Very good location," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "Early in the game he got too many 3-2 counts, but he made the pitches when had to make them. I thought he threw the ball very, very well."
The Marlins scored three times in the sixth to snap a scoreless tie. Giancarlo Stanton's RBI single through the left side opened the scoring as Dee Gordon came home on the play. Three batters later, J.T. Realmuto knocked in a run with a base hit that ended Montero's night.
Buddy Carlyle came in and threw a wild pitch that resulted in another run.
Trailing 3-0, the Mets loaded the bases with one out in the seventh and Lagares cleared them with a long driveto center off reliever A.J. Ramos. The ball took one bounce before hitting the wall.
GORDON KEEPS HITTING
Gordon went 2 for 4 and leads the majors with 36 hits, which is tied for the second-most hits in April by a Marlins player. Mike Lowell tops the list with 40 in April 2002.
"He's been phenomenal," Redmond said. "He's doing it all. He's as advertised. We knew what we were getting when we got him and he's been a huge part of this ballclub, not just as a player, but emotionally. The elevation he gets on those dunks after the game (during celebrations) is pretty amazing."
MURPHY BREAKING OUT
After his batting average dipped to .145, Murphy has shown positive signs at the plate in going 6 for 11 with a home run, three doubles and five RBIs in his last three games.
Murphy leads the Mets with 14 RBIs, and his average has increased to .205.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Bartolo Colon (4-0, 2.77 ERA) has won each of his first four starts for the first time in his career and will look to make it five straight in Wednesday's series finale. Colon is 4-2 with a 3.10 ERA in six starts against the Marlins.
Marlins: RHP Mat Latos (0-3, 7.31) is coming off of his best start of the season. He allowed two runs in 6 1-3 innings against Washington last Friday.
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