Miami, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Six errors did in the New York Mets on Monday as the Miami Marlins took a back-and-forth series opener, 9-6, from their NL East rivals.
The game was tied at 6-6 entering the bottom of the eighth, but more sloppy play from the Mets sealed the outcome, as three errors and a wild pitch sent New York to its fourth loss in six games.
Casey McGehee and Marcell Ozuna each had two hits and two RBI while Giancarlo Stanton belted a solo homer for the Marlins, who were coming off a disappointing 3-9 road trip.
"It took us a little bit to wake up, but once we did it was back to normal," McGehee said.
A.J. Ramos (6-0) pitched a perfect eighth and Steve Cishek did the same in the ninth to anchor a solid relief effort after Miami starter Henderson Alvarez exited with a left oblique strain in the third inning.
New York's recent callup, Dilson Herrera, hit his first major league home run and added a two-run triple, while David Wright knocked in a pair in the loss.
The unraveling began when Eric Campbell failed to make a diving catch in left field on a ball hit by Jarrod Saltalamacchia leading off the eighth frame.
Saltalamacchia was awarded a double, and Jeurys Familia's low throw to first on Adeiny Hechavarria's sacrifice bunt left runners on the corners. Familia (2-4) uncorked a wild pitch to bring in Saltalamacchia with the go-ahead run, and Hechavarria scored on another Familia error on a play at the plate.
"I tried to get the job done and I had a bad day," Familia said.
Erik Goeddel walked McGehee with the bases loaded to force in another run, and Cishek closed the door in the ninth to post his 32nd save.
Stanton took Zack Wheeler deep in the first, and Ozuna tripled in a run after Garrett Jones led off the second frame with a walk.
Alvarez set down the first six batters he faced before giving up a leadoff homer to the 20-year-old Herrera in the third.
The next five batters reached base, with Alvarez failing to get an out on an attempted sacrifice bunt by Wheeler. Juan Lagares reached on a fielder's choice, Curtis Granderson walked to load the bases, and all three runners came around when Wright singled to center field and Ozuna's wild throw to third base sailed into the crowd.
The team trainer and manager Mike Redmond joined Alvarez on the mound following Wright's hit, and Alvarez was begrudgingly replaced by Brad Hand.
The Marlins retook the lead in the fifth with three unearned runs. Donovan Solano reached base on a Wright error, and three straight two-out hits by McGehee, Jones and Ozuna gave Miami a 5-4 lead.
Hand pitched three innings of relief behind Alvarez and was replaced by Sam Dyson with two on and one out in the sixth, and Herrera drove in both runners with a triple.
Christian Yelich's RBI single in the sixth made it a tie game.
Game Notes
The Marlins are 11-2 at Marlins Park in games started by Alvarez, who was charged with four runs -- three earned -- in 2 1/3 innings ... Wheeler struck out eight in 4 2/3 innings but allowed five runs -- two earned -- on five hits. He has given up three earned runs or less in 12 consecutive starts ... The Mets had won five straight meetings.
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