Marlins Continue Mastery of Mets

MARLINS 5

METS 4

The Florida Marlins just seem to have the Mets' number. In a game where the Mets couldn't take advantage of every opportunity that was presented them on Friday night, the Florida Marlins found a way to slide past New York to improve to 4-0 on the young 2009 season.

John Maine, making his first regular season start since August 2008, was mediocre against the Fish. He got through five innings and gave up two runs and two hits, but both runs were solo home runs by Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla. At one point, the Mets coaching and training staff had to come to the mound to inspect Maine, to make sure he was still healthy. In the end, it was not a bad first start for Maine after months of speculation and doubt that he could return to his old form.

Offensively, the Mets had only two stars for the night. Carlos Beltran and Dan Murphy each went 3 for 5. Beltran had a solo home run and a RBI ground out to get the Mets to within 3-2 at one point in the game. The Mets would tie the game at three when Fernando Tatis drove in David Wright on a sacrifice fly.

However, the Mets left 14 players on base and were 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position on the night. It is clear that the Mets continue to struggle in clutch situations. It is because of this lack of clutch hitting that the Mets lost this ball game. All New York needed was a hit or two that would have brought in a couple of more runs, but the Mets couldn't get the ball past any Florida defenders when it mattered most.

In the seventh, Bobby Parnell coughed up the tie. He loaded the bases with Marlins and then allowed a single by Hanley Ramirez to drive in Emilo Bonifacio to give Florida a 4-3 lead.

But, the Marlins just couldn't close the deal. Matt Lindstrom struggled in the ninth inning. First Carlos Beltran and Ryan Church singled off of Lindstrom with only one out recorded. Two batters later, Jeremy Reed, pinch hitting for Luis Castillo, laced a single to right to bring in Beltran to tie the game at four. That was the only Met hit with a runner in scoring position.

In the bottom of the ninth, Jerrey Manuel decided to pitch Pedro Feliciano in the tied game instead of closer Francisco Rodriguez. As a result, Feliciano blew it. Bonifacio singled with one out. Two batters later, Feliciano walked Hanley Ramirez, and finally, Jorge Cantu drove a single to left, which was good enough to drive home Bonifacio with the game-winning run.

As usual, the Marlins celebrated as if they had just won another World Series. That is what the Marlins like to do whenever they beat the Mets. BOXSCORE.