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Andino, Marlins walk off with win

Apr 2, 2008 - 4:14 AM MIAMI (Ticker) -- Robert Andino hit a walk-off solo home run in the 10th inning to lead the Florida Marlins to a 5-4 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday.

It was the first career homer for Andino, who entered the game for defensive purposes in the top of the 10th.

Matt Wise (0-1) started the 10th for the Mets and struck out both Josh Willingham and Jorge Cantu before Andino drove a 2-1 pitch deep over the wall in left field to clinch the win.

"He's got a little juice," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said of Andino. "He just got a ball over the plate and in the major leagues, you do that to any major league hitter, you are going to hit it out. Good for us, good for him."

Andino's homer snapped a string of 5 2/3 scoreless innings by the New York bullpen, which was forced to work overtime when starter Pedro Martinez left in the fourth inning with strained left hamstring.

The veteran righthander suffered the injury while throwing a curveball to Matt Treanor, who grounded out to third base on the pitch.

Martinez gave up two home runs in 3 1/3 innings, allowing four runs and four hits while striking out one and walking one. The 36-year-old made just five starts in an injury-plagued 2007 season.

Martinez underwent rotator cuff surgery on October 5, 2006, which kept him out for nearly a full year as he returned to the mound on September 3, 2007.

Martinez left during the game and is flying back to New York on Wednesday to get an MRI after hearing a pop.

"I feel bad for him, obviously," Mets catcher Brian Schneider said. "He is a big part of this team, but what's done is done."

Dan Uggla hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Luis Gonzalez led off the second inning with a solo home run to center field.

"I've got pretty decent numbers against him, a pretty good track record," Gonzalez said. "He threw a high slider and I looked pretty bad on it. Then the next pitch, I got a fastball that ran out over the middle of the plate. He's still got pretty adequate stuff."

In the third, Hanley Ramirez drove in Alfredo Amezaga with a triple to center on a hard line drive, giving the Marlins a 4-0 lead.

The Mets responded in the fourth, leading off with three straight singles to chase Marlins starter Rick VandenHurk.

"You always want to get out of a jam, but that is the manager's decision and he made a great decision - we won the game," VandenHurk said.

Angel Pagan drove in Carlos Delgado for the first run before Renyel Pinto relieved VandenHurk and immediately gave up another single to Schneider, allowing Ryan Church to score.

"When you are leading 4-0 you have to throw strikes and make them hit the ball, but I wasn't throwing a whole of strikes after that," VandenHurk said.

Martinez laid down a successful sacrifice bunt, setting the stage for Jose Reyes, who hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Pagan and bring the Mets within a run at 4-3.

Pagan tied the game at 4-4 an inning later with a sacrifice fly to center

Ramirez reached base four times in the game, drawing two intentional walks and getting hit by a pitch, and Justin Miller (1-0) picked up the win with a scoreless frame for Florida.