San Juan, PR (Sports Network) – Cody Ross went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and knocked in two, and rookie Mike Stanton clubbed a three-run shot, as the Florida Marlins earned a 10-3 win over the New York Mets in the opener of a three-game series at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
Chris Coghlan had a solid game with two hits, including a solo homer and scored three times for Florida, which snapped a four-game slide. The Marlins served as the home team as Major League Baseball continues to expand its global reach. It marked the first major league game at Hiram Bithorn Stadium since Montreal played part of its home schedule in San Juan in 2003 and 2004.
The Fish swept a three-game series from the Expos at this venue from April 13-15, 2004, then took two of three from September 5-7, 2003.
Edwin Rodriguez became the first Puerto Rican-born manager in league history when he took over for a fired Fredi Gonzalez on an interim basis last week.
Ricky Nolasco (7-6) worked seven strong innings, allowing three runs on four hits and fanned nine without issuing a walk. The right-hander improved to 2-0 in four starts against the Mets this season. He also chipped in at the plate with a double and scored once.
Jason Bay provided the offense with two homers and drove in all three runs for the Mets, who had won four of six coming into the contest.
“I do think there was a lot of activity,” Mets manager Jerry Manuel said about the atmosphere at the stadium. “But I think to be a good team you have to remain somewhat in character regardless of what the activity is surrounding you.”
R.A. Dickey (6-1) suffered the loss for yielding five runs on as many hits with one walk and struck out three in five innings.
Florida opened the scoring with a first-inning run. Coghlan led off with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Gaby Sanchez before crossing the plate when Jose Reyes booted an easy ground ball at shortstop off the bat of Hanley Ramirez.
Bay quickly tied it in the second on a homer to right-center, but the Marlins then put up a four-spot in the third to go up 5-1. With runners on first and third, Sanchez chased both in with a double to right-center and Ramirez followed with an RBI two-bagger down the left field line. Later in the inning, Ross plated another with a single to center.
Fernando Nieve replaced Dickey in the bottom of the sixth and Ross greeted the right-hander with a one-out solo shot to right-center.
Meanwhile, Nolasco was cruising along and had retired 15 straight batters before David Wright singled with one out in the seventh. Bay’s second homer of the game — a two-run shot to right — cut the Mets’ deficit to 6-3.
Coghlan got a run back in the home half with a solo homer to right-center. Brian Sanches came on for Nolasco and threw a scoreless eighth and Stanton belted a three-run shot to left in the bottom portion for a 10-3 game.
Jose Veras came on to work the ninth and allowed a one-out single to Wright before retiring the next two hitters to polish off the win.
The Marlins have won seven of 11 versus the Mets this year, but New York notched a three-game sweep when the clubs last met at Citi Field from June 4-6…Wright ended with two hits and a run scored…Mets outfielder Angel Pagan missed the contest with a right rib cage ailment and is listed as day- to-day.