SB Nation New York - Mets Lose Opener To Marlins, 10-3https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48977/ny-fave.png2010-06-29T09:42:13-04:00http://newyork.sbnation.com/rss/stream/13057222010-06-29T09:42:13-04:002010-06-29T09:42:13-04:00Dickey Suffers First Loss Of The Year
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<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>“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.”</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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 <span class="caps">RBI</span> two-bagger down the left field line. Later in the inning, Ross plated another with a single to center.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2010/6/29/1542955/dickey-suffers-first-loss-of-theJeff Freier2010-06-28T15:24:57-04:002010-06-28T15:24:57-04:00Mets Start Series With Marlins In Puerto Rico
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<p>(Sports Network) - Though the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/FLA">Marlins</a> are being designated as the home team for this three-game series in San Juan, Puerto Rico, it is the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/NYM">Mets</a> who have a number of players that are set to take the field in their native country.</p>
<p>As Major League Baseball continues to expand its global reach, Florida and New York will do battle tonight at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, which will host a major league regular-season game for the first time since 2004.</p>
<p>While the majors are no stranger to Puerto Rico, this set marks the first time the country will host a regular-season game since the Montreal Expos played part of their home schedule there in 2003 and 2004. Both the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/NYM">Mets</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/FLA">Marlins</a> took on the Expos during that time and Hiram Bithorn Stadium has since played host to a number of World Baseball Classic games as well as some major league spring training contests.</p>
<p>Though the Marlins currently have no Puerto Rican-born players on their active roster, they will likely have some support given that 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.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, this series marks a trip home for a handful of Mets players, including <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/706/Angel_Pagan">Angel Pagan</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/292/Alex_Cora">Alex Cora</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/32700/Jesus_Feliciano">Jesus Feliciano</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/823/Pedro_Feliciano">Pedro Feliciano</a>. A fifth native son, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/872/Carlos_Beltran">Carlos Beltran</a>, won't make the trip as he is still recovering from right knee surgery.</p>
<p>Pagan hasn't played since Wednesday due to right rib cage ailment, but he is expected to be back in center field for this contest.</p>
<p>"This is a great opportunity to represent Puerto Rico and the Mets organization," Pagan told the Mets' official website prior to this past weekend. "I'm looking forward to it. The people in Puerto Rico are looking forward to it. It's going to be great for our country."</p>
<p>The presence of Pagan and his fellow countrymen could give the Mets plenty of support in the stands despite this being a road game. New York will take any advantage it can get as it is now just a half-game back of Atlanta for first place in the National League East following Sunday's 6-0 victory over Minnesota.</p>
<p>After getting shutout by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/MIN">Twins</a> by the same score on Saturday, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/33407/Jon_Niese">Jon Niese</a> hurled six-plus scoreless innings, while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/960/Jeff_Francoeur">Jeff Francoeur</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/873/David_Wright">David Wright</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/70384/Ike_Davis">Ike Davis</a> also hit home runs in helping the Mets win for the fourth time in six games and wrap interleague play with a club-record 13-5 mark.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/31375/R_A_Dickey">R.A. Dickey</a> gets a chance to pitch the Mets into first place this evening and extend his career-best six-start winning streak in the process. The knuckleballer has allowed more than two runs in just two of his seven starts with New York, going 6-0 with a 2.33 earned run average.</p>
<p>The 35-year-old righty hurled a season-high eight scoreless innings on Wednesday versus the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/DET">Tigers</a>, holding them to four hits and two walks.</p>
<p>Dickey beat the Marlins on June 4, allowing three runs over 6 1/3 innings and improving to 2-1 against them with a 6.43 ERA in four games, including two starts.</p>
<p>Florida is coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/SDP">Padres</a> and it managed just three runs in the series. Sunday's 4-2 setback was the Marlins' fourth in a row, tying a season high.</p>
<p>Starter Anibal Sanchez allowed just two runs -- one earned -- in six-plus innings, but the bullpen yielded a deciding two-run homer in the eighth inning.</p>
<p>"I think today's game was lost because we didn't score enough runs, not because we didn't pitch well enough," said <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/31571/Chris_Coghlan">Chris Coghlan</a> on Florida's website. "I know people want to blame it on the bullpen, but we didn't score enough."</p>
<p>That isn't good news for starter <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/476/Ricky_Nolasco">Ricky Nolasco</a>, who is 1-0 in three starts versus the Mets this year despite a 4.00 ERA and 4-6 against them lifetime with a 5.58 ERA in 18 games, 16 starts.</p>
<p>The right-hander snapped a two-start slide on Wednesday versus the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/BAL">Orioles</a> despite allowing four runs on eight hits over seven innings. He also struck out eight in the 7-5 triumph that improved him to 6-6 with a 4.92 ERA this season.</p>
<p>Wright is 4-for-8 against the 27-year-old Nolasco this year with a pair of RBI and is a career .386 (17-for-44) batter against him.</p>
<p>The Marlins have won six of 10 versus the Mets this year, but New York notched a three-game sweep when the clubs last met in the Big Apple from June 4-6.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2010/6/28/2317132/mets-start-series-with-marlins-in-puerto-ricoJeff Freier