(Sports Network) – Even though the Mets are 12 1/2 games off the pace in the National League East, the squad now has something to cheer about thanks to the return of third baseman David Wright. Out for more than two months with a stress fracture in his lower back, Wright will once again be in the lineup for the Mets as they play the second game of a three-game set against the Florida Marlins at Sun Life Stadium.
On Friday night Wright delivered a pair of doubles, drove in two runs and scored twice in his team’s 7-6 victory in the series opener, the team’s third win in the last four outings. Justin Turner added a hit and a couple of walks as he too scored twice, Daniel Murphy added another two RBI, while Jose Reyes chipped in a double and a run scored as well.
“I’ve missed everything about being out there,” said Wright. “The camaraderie, the guys in the dugout, being up by one in the ninth inning and sweating it out. I had fun out there tonight and it’s good to be out there.”
Mets starter Mike Pelfrey made it through six innings of action, giving up four runs on five hits — two home runs — but also walking four and striking out just three as he failed to earn a decision. Bobby Parnell tallied his third win of the campaign with one run permitted over 1 1/3 and Jason Isringhausen secured his second save of 2011.
Edward Mujica suffered the loss for the Marlins, giving up two runs on just one hit and a walk over 1 1/3 innings of relief. Starter Chris Volstad was touched for four runs — three earned — on eight hits and three walks, fanning four through five innings.
Gaby Sanchez and Mike Stanton both hit home runs for the hosts but still the Marlins dropped their fourth straight decision and fell six games under .500 in the process. Emilio Bonifacio, who ended up playing three different positions in the meeting, was credited with two runs scored, while Logan Morrison knocked in a pair in the setback.
Bonifacio also extended his hitting streak to 21 games in the loss.
Aiming for his second win this season against the Mets, Clay Hensley heads to the mound for Florida tonight. The right-hander, who is 2-2 in his career versus New York, began the 2011 campaign coming out of the bullpen and only recently was inserted into the starting lineup.
Earlier this week the Texas native stepped in against these same Mets hitters in the Big Apple and allowed just a single hit and two walks, while striking out three over five innings, as the Marlins scored the 4-1 win.
As for the Mets, they have lefty Chris Capuano, who was also pitted against Hensley on Monday. Now 4-3 in his career versus the Marlins, Capuano was tagged for all four runs in that contest, allowing seven hits and a pair of walks, while striking out five over 7 2/3 innings.
Capuano has now dropped back-to-back efforts after stringing together three consecutive victories.
Despite being so far off the pace in the NL East at the moment, the Mets are actually the second-best hitting team in the league with an average of .263, which is more than can be said for Florida which is much further down the list (12th) with a .245 mark through the first 100 games of the season.
Florida, now just 21-30 at home this season, had been ahead in the season series leading up to yesterday’s meeting (3-2) after putting up a mark of 23-13 the past two years versus the Mets. In 2010 Florida was a perfect 6-0 at home when the two squads clashed, now only 1-3 thus far in 2011.