Polanco, Sanabia lead Marlins past Mets
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Placido Polanco went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored to help the Miami Marlins take a 7-5 win over the New York Mets in the opener of a three-game set.
Greg Dobbs hit a solo homer and drove in two runs, while Justin Ruggiano also drove in a pair for the Marlins, who were swept by Washington to start the season and scored just one run in the three games.
Alex Sanabia (1-0) pitched six shutout innings in the start, giving up just six hits with three walks and a strikeout to earn the win and give Miami skipper Mike Redmond his first win as a manager.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It was pretty cool, obviously," said Redmond. "I knew it wasn't going to be easy, and it sure wasn't. I was happy with the way we went out and swung the bats."
Daniel Murphy hit a three-run home run and Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Lucas Duda each had an RBI for the Mets, who took two of three over San Diego to start the 2013 campaign.
"We've got guys on here who are going to breakout real soon," said New York manager Terry Collins. "Soon enough we'll be getting those two-out hits and scoring more runs."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jeremy Hefner (0-1) gave up a run on five hits in six innings for the loss.
Dobbs got the Marlins on the board in the second inning when he hit a 3-1 fastball just over the right field wall for a 1-0 lead.
The Mets had runners on base in each of the first six innings, but were unable to get any across and the Marlins added to their lead in the seventh.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}With Greg Burke on the mound, Donovan Solano reached base to start the inning on an error by Ruben Tejada. After Austin Kearns walked, Juan Pierre laid downed a bunt and reached base to load the bags. Polanco followed with a single to plate two runners.
Polanco then moved up a bag on a passed ball and after Giancarlo Stanton struck out, Scott Rice took the mound. Dobbs then plated a run with a sacrifice fly and Ruggiano hit a double to the left-center gap for another run. Rob Brantly followed with a double to right-center for a 6-0 advantage.
New York finally answered in the seventh to cut its deficit in half. With Chad Qualls on the mound, Mike Baxter led off with a single and Jordany Valdespin followed with a walk. Murphy then clubbed a pitch over the left-center wall to make it a 6-3 game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Mets loaded the bases in the eighth, but it was with two outs and Murphy grounded out to second to end the frame.
Miami padded its lead in the ninth when a single from Ruggiano plated Stanton, who had doubled two batters prior.
Nieuwenhuis punched an RBI double to left-center in the ninth and Duda followed with a single to make it a two-run game, but Steven Cishek struck out John Buck then got Justin Turner to ground out and end the game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Game Notes
The Mets won 12 of 18 games with the Marlins last season - including seven of nine in New York ... The Mets batted just 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base ... Ricky Nolasco pitches for Miami on Saturday while Jon Niese will take the mound for New York.