By ,
Published November 20, 2014
Jose Reyes extended his hitting streak to 25 games, Giancarlo Stanton drove in a run in his return from the disabled list, and the Marlins held on for a 4-2 victory over the Mets.
Reyes' only hit came during a four-run fourth inning that was highlighted by John Buck's two-run double. Stanton, sidelined since undergoing right knee surgery in early July, added a sacrifice fly and the Marlins' bullpen pitched the final five innings to preserve the win in the series opener.
Wade LeBlanc, making the start for Miami on his 28th birthday, worked four scoreless innings before yielding Daniel Murphy's leadoff homer in the fifth.
"Any time you can spend a birthday in the majors leagues is enjoyable. It's icing on the cake that I got to pitch and we got the win," LeBlanc said.
The reliever turned starter earlier this month was pulled in favor of Chad Gaudin, who gave up another run in the frame on Andres Torres' RBI single.
But Gaudin stranded the bases loaded in the frame, and the Mets failed to record a hit against the combination of Carlos Zambrano (7-9), Michael Dunn, Heath Bell and Steve Cishek.
Cishek tossed a perfect ninth to notch his seventh save of the season.
Jonathon Niese (8-6) surrendered four runs and eight hits over six innings to take the loss, New York's eighth straight at home -- the most since the club's move to Citi Field in 2009.
Miami recorded three straight hits to open the fourth inning, the last a run- scoring base hit by Carlos Lee. Reyes, who beat out a dribbler down the first- base line, scored on Stanton's sac fly before Buck capped the frame by slicing one into the right-field corner to bring in a pair.
"That's been my Achilles heel this year, giving up those big innings," Niese said.
Game Notes
Reyes' hit streak is a career high and the longest in the majors this year...Lee has hit safely in 12 straight games...Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada went 1-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to a career-best 12 games...The Mets stranded 11 runners.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/reyes-extends-hit-streak-marlins-extend-mets-home-losing-skid