The New York Mets (48-65) defeated the Miami Marlins (47-65) by the score of 6-2 on Friday evening. The Mets collected 13 hits in the win and are now a full three games ahead of the Marlins who currently occupy the NL East cellar.

Pitching

Zack Wheeler retired all six Marlins he faced during the first two innings of the game.

In the third inning, Miguel Rojas reached base courtesy of a fielding error by Amed Rosario. Rojas reached second on a sacrifice bunt from Jose Urena but ended up stranded on second as Wheeler got Magneuris Sierra to line out to end the frame.

Wheeler cruised through the next three innings and ran into trouble in the seventh.

After striking out both Starlin Castro and Martin Prado to start the inning Wheeler allowed a single by Rafael Ortega. The next batter Rojas hit a homerun over the left field fence cutting the Mets lead to 4-2.

Wheeler struck out JT Riddle to end the inning. Wheeler turned in another impressive outing with a final stat line of 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO. He tossed 108 pitches with 72 of them for strikes. Wheeler also lowered his ERA to 3.82.

Seth Lugo pitched a perfect eighth and Jerry Blevins came in to start the ninth. Blevins only threw one pitch tonigh and it hit Derek Dietrich. 

Drew Smith only issued one walk but was able to close out the game in the non-save situation

Hitting

The Mets broke the scoreless tie in the third inning on a Michael Conforto RBI single that scored Jeff McNeil. The Mets offense did not score again until the sixth inning.

Conforto led off the sixth with a walk who advanced to second on a Brandon Nimmo ground out.  Next batter Todd Frazier singled on a bullet hit to left field advancing Conforto to third. Austin Jackson gave the Mets a 2-0 lead with a RBI single that advanced Frazier to third.

After Kevin Plawecki got hit with a pitch and Wheeler struck out, Rosario hit a sharp ground ball with the bases loaded that was deflected off Castro which allowed Frazier and Jackson to score that doubled the Mets lead to 4-0. Plaw was thrown out trying to advance to third.

In the eighth inning Frazier hit a one out single followed by a ground-rule double by Jackson.

Plawecki hit a single scoring both base runners to give the Mets a 6-2 lead over the Fish. Both Jackson and Rosario collected three hits tonight and Flores and Frazier had two hits each as well.

On Deck

The New York Mets look to secure a road series win tomorrow over the Miami Marlins as they will send rookie Corey Oswalt (1-2, 5.13 ERA) to the hill. The Marlins will counter with Marlins righty Dan Straily (4-5, 4.35 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET. Game will be televised on WPIX and broadcast from WOR.