Mets 6, Marlins 3

This was a really fun game. The Mets struck early again as Mo Vaughn continued his hot hitting from the night before, driving in Cliff Floyd with a single in the first.

Al Leiter had a solid start, even a Quality Start, as they say, giving up three runs in six innings on seven hits and two walks while striking out nine. He did have some serious problems holding runners on, though, as the Marlins stole six bases. The Marlins scored all three of their runs in the fourth, putting the Mets in a 3-1 hole. Would it be another long night of failing to drive runners in, or would the Mets return to their cardiac ways of years past?

Well, in the fifth, the big bats came through like they had last night. Roberto Alomar led off the inning with a ground-rule double, off of a left-hander no less. It was only his second hit against lefties so far this year. Art Howe was employing the bizarre "Tsuyoshi Shinjo Lineup," which calls for Shinjo to take Roger Cedeno's place in center, but bat eighth, putting the hitless wonder Rey Sanchez in the second spot. So the best Sanchez could do after Alomar's hit was get him to third by grounding out to the right side of the infield. Cliff Floyd fouled out and up came Mike Piazza with two outs and a man on third. And as I've been saying, the Mets have been just horrid with runners in scoring position and two outs so far this year, but Piazza came through with a single to score Alomar and bring the Mets within one.

Graeme Lloyd relieved Leiter in the seventh, pitching a perfect inning on just nine pitches. Leiter could no longer get the win, but he pitched well enough to keep the Mets in the game. In the bottom of the seventh, Sanchez led off with a groundout to get out of the way and let the real hitters bat. Floyd promptly singled. Piazza walked. Vaughn struck out, and it was another two out RBI situation. This time it was up to Ty Wigginton. But Wigginton has been the one man seemingly immune to the Mets' offensive troubles all season, and he came through again here, singling to left to score Floyd and tie the game.

David Weathers came in to pitch the eighth in a double switch, taking Jeromy Burnitz out of the game, putting Cedeno in center and moving Shinjo to right. After giving up a walk and a hit, Weathers got out of the inning without giving up a run.

Shinjo led off the eighth and fouled out and it was looking like a quick inning, but Cedeno remarkably got on base with an infield single. Alomar followed with a walk and the Mets had something going. Art Howe wisely pinch hit for Sanchez and in came Tony Clark, the man the Mets had taken a chance on in spring training after a horrendous season in Boston last year. Clark had hit so well in the spring to earn a spot on the Met bench and that decision paid huge dividends here. Clark hit a pinch-hit three-run home run to right center to put the Mets on top 6-3. Now all that was left was for Armando Benitez to come in and save it.

Clark stayed in the game at first base and Jay Bell replaced Sanchez at short. Benitez got Mike Mordecai swinging to start the inning and Keith Hernandez made one of his many amusing comments on the night. "I'm throwing 97 miles per hour. You're Mike Mordecai. Catch up to it." I thought Hernandez was fun to listen to all night, as he was willing to be downright nasty toward player who deserved it. But then Benitez got into some trouble. Brian Banks worked a walk. Juan Pierre, who had won a game with a hit off of Benitez last week, singled to center and now there were two men on and it was starting to look like your standard Benitez nail-biter. But he got Luis Castillo to ground into a double play and earned his fifth save of the year.

This was a second consecutive good night for the Met offense, as they got 12 hits tonight after getting 13 last night. They also drew four walks and generally did a good job getting pitchers to throw a lot of pitches, an average of 4.4 per at bat. Tony Clark was the big star of the game in his one at bat, but Mike Piazza had another good game, going two for three with a pair of walks and an RBI.

Tomorrow, Steve Trachsel goes for the Mets against AJ Burnett as the Mets try for their first three game winning streak of the season with their renewed offensive confidence.  ¶ joe | 11:39 PM |