• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Johnson, Marlins stifle Mets

Apr 2, 2011 - 4:31 AM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Josh Johnson carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning in a solid Opening Day start, leading the Florida Marlins to a 6-2 victory over the New York Mets.

Johnson faced just one batter over the minimum before his no-hit bid was broken up by Willie Harris' double to begin the seventh.

The Mets rallied for two runs in the inning, but couldn't get any more against Johnson and three Florida relievers. Johnson (1-0) left with two outs in the seventh, yielding two runs on just three hits and two walks while striking out three.

He didn't realize until looking at the scoreboard for his pitch count in the fifth inning that he was throwing a no-hitter.

"I tried to think back if that was right or not," Johnson said.

As it turned out, the Marlins got all the offense they needed on John Buck's grand slam off Mets starter Mike Pelfrey (0-1) in the fourth inning. Logan Morrison added a solo homer and Gaby Sanchez had an RBI single for the other runs.

Buck, the catcher, said Johnson controlled every count and went after the hitters, mixing up his pitches and making good decisions with two strikes.

"Good, old-fashion pitching," Buck said.

Filling in as the No. 1 starter for Johan Santana, whose shoulder surgery could keep him on the shelf until mid-season, Pelfrey went just 4 1/3 innings, yielding five runs on four hits and four walks while striking out two.

"He didn't have his good sinker," said new Mets manager Terry Collins, "but I thought he battled hard."

The Mets weren't overly active in the offseason, presumably due to financial problems stemming from ownership's reported involvement with disgraced investor Bernie Madoff.

And their offense was downright stale. Besides Ike Davis' walk with two outs in the top of the second inning, no Met reached base until Harris lined a 1-1 fastball into left-center field to break up the no-hitter.

Johnson barely reacted on the play except back up the throw when Harris stretched the hit into a double. Harris scored on Carlos Beltran's double and Beltran later came home on a ground out to get the Mets within 5-2.

New York only produced one more baserunner after the seventh inning -- Harris' single in the eighth. Morrison homered on a line drive to right field in the eighth for Florida's final margin.

"It's tough to catch up when you don't get too many pitches to hit," said Collins.

Buck, who signed with Florida in the offseason, battled back from an 0-2 count in the fourth and smacked an away pitch into the first row of seats for his third career grand slam. Sanchez knocked in Hanley Ramirez with a two-out hit in the fifth to make it 5-0.

Ramirez saved the no-hit bid an inning before it was broken up, hustling behind second base for a grounder and spinning to throw out Josh Thole.

Game Notes

Florida finished third behind the Phillies and Braves last year in the National League East, while the Mets were a game further back in fourth...The Marlins won all six meetings between the teams in Florida last season.