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MIAMI -- Pinch hitter J.T. Riddle hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to lead the Miami Marlins to a 4-2 win over the New York Mets on Sunday afternoon at Marlins Park. It was Riddle's first career home run, and it came off reliever Addison Reed (0-1).
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Miami had nearly won the game in the previous at-bat, a double by Miguel Rojas that went all the way to fence. Left fielder Yoenis Cespedes threw to shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, whose relay home cut down Marcell Ozuna.
The Marlins came within four outs of what would've been the first multi-pitcher no-hitter in franchise history. But with two outs in the eighth, Neil Walker hit a 2-0 pitch from reliever Brad Ziegler for a clean single to center.
With regular Marlins closer A.J. Ramos resting, set-up reliever David Phelps entered the game in the ninth trying to protect a 2-0 lead. But he gave up a single to Travis d'Arnaud. With two outs, Wilmer Flores singled and both runners moved up a base when right fielder Giancarlo Stanton bobbled the ball.
Pinch hitter Cabrera, who had played every inning of every Mets game this season until getting a rest to start this contest, then grounded a two-run single to right-center, tying the score 2-2.
A moment @_Riddler_10 will never forget.
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) April 16, 2017
And neither will we. #FISHWIN! pic.twitter.com/Hm3MG2bTnp
The Marlins (7-5) took three of four in the weekend series against New York (7-6). Five of the Mets' six losses this season are against the Marlins.
Miami stopped New York's streak of hitting a homer in 11 straight games. The Mets entered the game with 22 homers, tops in the majors.
Mets starter Matt Harvey, who was forced to leave his previous last start due to tightness in his left hamstring, was sharp, allowing seven hits, two walks and two runs, one earned, in six innings. He struck out five.
Marlins starter Dan Straily walked five batters in 5 1/3 innings but struck out five and kept the Mets off the scoreboard by not allowing a hit.
One pitch into the game, Miami's Dee Gordon was standing on third. He got a single on a drag bunt -- Harvey should've tried to let it roll foul but picked it up and had no play. Harvey's next throw was a pickoff try to third that went into right field for an error, and Gordon scored on a Christian Yelich groundout.
The Mets nearly tied the score in the fifth on a long drive to left by Flores. Marlins left fielder Ozuna climbed a ledge halfway up the eight-foot fence, waited for the ball and caught it as he jumped off.
Ozuna reacted with a big smile, Flores grabbed his batting helmet as if to spike it, and Straily raised his arms all the way up to clap for his left fielder.
Miami increased its lead to 2-0 in a strange sixth inning. Yelich singled and Justin Bour walked with one out. Ozuna doubled to left-center to score Yelich, but Bour was thrown out at the plate when he missed the bag. Bour was there well ahead of the tag but never got his foot down.
NOTES: Marlins C J.T. Realmuto, who had a walk-off double on Friday, was back in the lineup after missing Saturday's game due to an illness. ... Mets RHP Jacob deGrom has yet to get a decision this season despite a 1.89 ERA in three impressive starts. He had 11 no-decisions last year and had a 1.85 ERA in those outings. ... Mets closer Jeurys Familia, suspended 15 games by Major League Baseball following a domestic dispute with his wife, returns Thursday. On Saturday, he pitched a perfect seventh inning for Class-A St. Lucie, throwing eight pitches, six for strikes. ... The Marlins start a nine-game road trip on Monday at the Seattle Mariners. ... The Mets open a nine-game homestand on Tuesday vs. the Philadelphia Phillies.
