The New York Mets defeated the Miami Marlins 2-1 on Tuesday night, in the first game of a three-game series at Citi Field. Neither team was particularly hot at the plate, but the Mets were able to get on the board late as the Marlins gave up four consecutive walks by four different pitchers in the seventh.
Johan Santana took the mound for the Mets. He played well coming off a disastrous start against the Atlanta Braves a week ago. He pitched six scoreless innings before giving up his first and only earned run in the seventh inning on a Gaby Sanchez double to score Giancarlo Stanton. Ramon Ramirez was immediately brought in for relief following the play, and was able to force a ground out.
The Mets were not unable to score while Santana was on the mound, however. Josh Johnson started, and was on the mound for the Marlins in the bottom of the inning. He was relieved with two outs in the inning by Randy Choate after walking Lucas Duda. Miami needed just one out to move on to the next inning, but Choate promptly walked Justin Turner before being replaced by Steve Cishek, who promptly walked Scott Hairston.
Cishek was then pulled for Mike Dunn with the bases loaded and, sure enough, Dunn walked Josh Thole to send Duda in for the score. Dunn struck out Zach Lutz on the next at-bat, but not before the Mets tied the game at one run apiece.
Dunn was relieved by Edward Mujica to start the Mets' next turn on offense. Mujica gave up the Mets' winning run on a Duda single to score Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Ramirez, Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco did not give up a single hit in relief of Santana to secure the win for New York. Jose Reyes went 0-for-4 from the plate in his return to New York.
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