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Saltalamacchia's blast lifts Marlins past Mets in 10th

Apr 27, 2014 - 6:29 AM Flushing, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Jarrod Saltalamacchia slugged a tiebreaking home run in the top of the 10th inning to send the Miami Marlins to a 7-6 victory over the New York Mets in the middle test of a three-game set Saturday at Citi Field.

Kyle Farnsworth (0-1) replaced Daisuke Matsuzaka on the mound to start the 10th and was greeted by Saltalamacchia, who drove a 2-2 fastball over the wall in left-center field to break the 6-6 stalemate.

"I wasn't trying to hit anything out, but I was able to get a fastball down and away that I could do something with," Saltalamacchia said of his go-ahead homer.

Steve Cishek bounced back from Friday's blown save by spinning a scoreless bottom of the 10th to secure his fifth save of the season. Cishek had converted a club-record 33 straight save opportunities prior to blowing a 3-2 lead in the ninth inning Friday.

Mike Dunn (2-3) struck out four over two perfect innings of relief work to pick up the victory.

Giancarlo Stanton smacked a two-run homer to spark Miami's five-run sixth inning, while Casey McGehee collected three hits and scored two runs to help the Marlins snap a two-game skid.

Bobby Abreu belted a two-run blast and Lucas Duda added a two-run single for the Mets, who had won three straight games.

New York starter Jenrry Mejia held Miami to just one run over the first five frames before running into trouble in the sixth with his team ahead 5-1.

Marcell Ozuna opened the inning with a double and Stanton followed with a drive over the wall in right-center field to bring the Marlins within 5-3.

McGehee then singled and Saltalamacchia walked before Garrett Jones lined out and Mejia induced a fielder's choice groundout from Derek Dietrich that left runners on the corners with two away.

Mejia was unable to wiggle out of the jam, however, as Adeiny Hechavarria stroked a single to center to score McGehee.

After Carlos Torres took over for Mejia, pinch-hitter Reed Johnson ripped a double into the right-field corner to plate both runners for a 6-5 lead.

"Balls starting getting left up and the Marlins were putting good swings on it," Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud said of Miami breaking out in the sixth. "Balls were finding holes and they got a lot of runners and they did what they needed to do."

New York evened things in the home half after d'Arnaud kept the inning alive with a two-out walk. A passed ball by Saltalamacchia allowed d'Arnaud to move to second before Omar Quintanilla slapped a grounder to the hole at shortstop.

Hechavarria made a nice backhand stab on the play, but his throw to first sailed and d'Arnaud raced home to tie the game at 6-6.

The Marlins nearly broke the deadlock in the ninth when they put men on second and third with two away, but Matsuzaka caught McGehee staring at strike three to end the inning.

Early on, the Mets pushed three runs across in the first against Miami starter Kevin Slowey. Eric Young Jr. slapped a leadoff single and then stole second with David Wright at the dish. Saltalamacchia misfired on his throw to second, allowing Young to race to third.

After Wright plated Young with a sacrifice fly, Daniel Murphy ripped a single to center and Abreu followed with his first big league home run since Sept. 28, 2012 to give the Mets a 3-0 lead.

Dietrich's RBI single in the second got Miami on the board, but the Mets pushed two more runs across in the third to increase their cushion.

With two runners aboard and two away in the frame, Duda drilled a single back up the middle to score Curtis Granderson and Murphy, who both walked earlier in the inning.

Game Notes

Abreu's last homer in the MLB came as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Colorado Rockies ... Stanton has 29 RBI, moving him within one of Moises Alou's club record for RBI in the first month of a season. Alou had 30 in 1997 ... The Marlins improved to 2-9 on the road this season ... Slowey allowed five runs on five hits and two walks over four frames ... Mejia was charged for six runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings ... Young recorded his 12th stolen base of the season and has reached base in 20 straight games.