Niese, Davis Lead Mets Past Marlins, 6-1

Flushing, NY (Sports Network) – Jon Niese returned from the disabled list to toss seven strong innings while Ike Davis went 4-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored as the New York Mets downed the Florida Marlins, 6-1, in the second of a three-game set at Citi Field.

Niese (2-2), who had been on the DL since May 17 with a mild right hamstring strain, gave up just one run on six hits with a walk and six strikeouts for the Mets, who have won three of their last four. David Wright went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, three RBI and two runs scored.

Ronny Paulino had two hits and drove in the lone run for the Marlins, who have dropped three of their past four. Nate Robertson (4-5) was tagged with the loss as he was roughed up for six runs on seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings.

The Mets jumped on top in the second inning with a pair of runs. Davis led off with a double and Wright walked. After Rod Barajas flied out, Jeff Francoeur singled to left to score Davis and Ruben Tejada followed with a double for a 2-0 lead.

In the third, New York made it a 5-0 game as Davis’ single plated Angel Pagan, and Wright followed with a shot over the wall in left, his 10th homer of the season.

Wright’s RBI single off Brian Sanches in the fifth plated Davis, whose two-out double chased Robertson, for a 6-0 advantage.

Niese was cruising through his start but faced a bit of adversity in the sixth as Chris Coghlan drilled a double off the wall in left with one out. However, Niese struck out Gaby Sanchez and got Hanley Ramirez to ground out and end the threat.

Florida finally broke through in the seventh. With one out, Dan Uggla doubled and moved to third on a wild pitch. After Cody Ross walked, Paulino punched a single to center to make it a 6-1 game. Niese, though, limited the damage as he struck out Cameron Maybin and got pinch-hitter Wes Helms to hit into a groundout to end the inning.

Jenrry Mejia tossed a perfect eighth while Fernando Nieve worked around a leadoff single by Jorge Cantu in the ninth to close the game.

Florida has taken six of the nine games against the Mets this season…New York has won seven straight at home…Francoeur has a nine-game hitting streak…Hisanori Takahashi takes the mound for New York in Sunday’s series finale while Ricky Nolasco will twirl the ball for Florida.

Mets Solve Oliver Perez Problem For Now

The New York Mets have not solved their Oliver Perez problem. They have, however, pushed their issues with the struggling left-hander to the back burner.
The Mets today placed Perez on the 15-day disabled list.

The Mets have avoided a showdown with Oliver Perez about whether he would go to the minors by placing the left-hander on the disabled list with right knee tendinitis.

That’s the same knee Perez had surgically cleaned last season.

The Mets have now bought themselves a couple of weeks to figure out what to do with a pitcher they clearly no longer want.

Mets Look For 2nd Straight Victory Over Marlins

(Sports Network) - Lefty Nate Robertson looks for a second straight defeat of the New York Mets when the Florida Marlins visit Citi Field today for the middle test of a three-game weekend series with their National League East Division rivals.

New York leapfrogged from fourth to third in the division standings in Friday's opener, when R.A. Dickey threw into the seventh inning and added two hits, a run scored and an RBI at the plate in 4-3 victory over the Marlins.

The Mets are now a half-game ahead of the Marlins in the NL East race and trail first-place Atlanta by four games.

Dickey (3-0) threw a solid 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and a pair of walks to earn the win.

Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez nearly blew it in the ninth, putting two on with two outs before getting Hanley Ramirez to bounce out to third baseman David Wright, whose one-hop toss from foul territory beat Ramirez to first to end the game.

Jason Bay and Jeff Francoeur each went 2-for-4 and drove in a run for New York, which was coming off a 2-4 road trip.

Anibal Sanchez (5-3) had his four-start win streak snapped, as the Florida right-hander yielded four runs on nine hits and four walks in 5 2/3 frames.

Robertson, who pitched in the American League from 2003-09, returned to the NL this season with the Marlins - who drafted him in 1999 - and downed the Mets in his eighth start of the year back on May 15 in Miami. In that game, he allowed seven hits and two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings in recording a 7-5 victory that lifted him to 2-0 with a 2.45 earned run average in three career matchups with the Mets.

In three starts since that victory, Robertson is 0-1 with a pair of no- decisions.

Robertson is 3-2 with a 3.95 ERA in five road starts in 2010.

New York goes with lefty Jon Niese, who makes his first start since lasting just two innings in a 10-8 loss to the Marlins on May 16. The 23-year-old went on the 15-day disabled list the following day with a mild hamstring strain in his right leg.

Prior to the loss, Niese had recorded a win and a loss in seven starts this season along with a 4.58 earned run average in 39 1/3 innings. He also faced Florida in his initial start of the season and dropped a 3-1 verdict on April 8 after giving up eight hits and three runs in six innings.

Niese's lone win of the season came April 30 at Philadelphia. The Mets are 4-4 in games he's pitched.

The Mets snapped a six-game losing streak in this series with Friday's triumph. Florida took two of three matchups between these teams in New York from April 6-8 and has gone 8-5 at Citi Field since the stadium opened at the start of the 2009 season.