Jonathan Niese was terrific and the Mets found some much-needed power in tonight’s 4-3 victory over the Marlins.
After Niese and Brad Hand traded perfect firsts, the scoring got underway quickly in the second. Giancarlo Stanton led off with an absolute shot to left, but Andrew Brown returned fire in the bottom of the frame with a jack of his own.
The game was quiet again until the fifth, when Donovan Solano brought in Ed Lucas with a double down the line to bring the score to 2-1 Marlins.
The Mets would not go away however, as Lucas Duda hit a three run bomb to put them on top 4-2. It was Duda’s 13th of the year.
After allowing a lead off home run to Stanton in the seventh (his second of the game), Niese got one more out before allowing the single which would knock him out of the game. Niese was apparently very frustrated, and he walked off the field muttering some not-so-nice words.
Anyway, Niese threw a very solid game: 6.1 IP, 6H, 3ER, 0BB, 7K.
Scott Atchinson relieved Niese, and retired Solano and Koyle Hill to end the frame.
Vic Black and Pedro Feliciano combined for a scoreless eighth and LaTroy Hawkins tossed a perfect ninth to end the Mets’ four-game skid. They now stand at 65-81.
The series continues tomorrow at 4:10 when Henderson Alvarez faces off against Daisuke Matsuzaka.
