• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Marlins score 2 in eighth, down Mets

Jul 24, 2011 - 10:09 PM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Logan Morrison clubbed a game-tying home run to begin the eighth and pinch-hitter John Buck delivered a two-out, RBI double later in the inning, as the Florida Marlins rallied to beat the New York Mets, 5-4, in the rubber match of a three-game series at Sun Life Stadium.

Bobby Parnell (3-2) came on to protect New York's one-run lead, but Morrison crushed the right-hander's sixth pitch over the center field wall.

Mike Stanton then singled and moved up to second base on a sacrifice bunt. After pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs flied out, Buck lined a double to center.

"[Pinch-hitting's] not the easiest thing to do, but I'll take it when I do get it done," Buck said.

Leo Nunez earned his 28th save of the season with a flawless ninth.

Buck's clutch performance made a winner out of Randy Choate (1-1), who recorded the final out in the eighth.

The Mets grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Jose Reyes led off with a single, moved to second on a Justin Turner and scored on Carlos Beltran's sacrifice fly to center field.

It didn't take Emilio Bonifacio long to extend his career-high hitting streak to 23 games as the Florida third baseman led off the bottom of the first with a single to right field. The Marlins tied the game on an RBI groundout by Hanley Ramirez.

Stanton gave Florida the lead in the second when he drove his 22nd home run to the left field seats to start the frame. A two-out, run-scoring single by Bonifacio made it 3-1.

New York starter Dillon Gee retired Gaby Sanchez on a popup to first to escape a bases-loaded jam in the fourth.

The Mets hit three singles in the sixth, with the last one off the bat of Jason Bay which trimmed New York's deficit to 3-2.

Florida starter Anibal Sanchez retired the first two batters in the next inning. But Beltran singled and David Wright put the Mets up 4-3 by crushing his seventh home run, a blast to left field.

"We came back after being down, got the lead and to let it slip away...we've been there before several times. Let's just put it on the list of the ones that got away," said New York manager Terry Collins.

Game Notes

Sanchez gave up 11 hits and recorded eight strikeouts, including the 500th of his career, over seven frames...Sanchez has gone a career-high eight starts without a win...Stanton matched his 2010 home run total...Gee allowed seven hits and walked three in five innings...New York center fielder Angel Pagan left the game in the fifth because of dehydration...Beltran has reached base safely in 30 straight games...Wright collected three hits to tie Cleon Jones for third place in franchise history with 1,188.