Major League Baseball

Marlins finish first sweep of season

Published Jun. 2, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Matt Harvey is already looking forward to his next start on Friday.

The New York Mets star rookie will get a chance to face the Miami Marlins again after struggling in an 11-6 loss on Sunday as the Marlins completed a three-game sweep.

''I'm not happy about the start at all,'' Harvey said. ''There are very slight amount of positives that I take from today. I've got to be better and move on. ... I'm excited to face them again on Friday.''

Harvey had a 1.85 ERA coming into the game, but battled through five innings allowing season-highs in hits (10) and runs (four) in his shortest start of the season. He walked five and struck out two.

''That was certainly not the Matt Harvey that we know and accustomed to seeing,'' Mets manager Terry Collins said. ''He had to work very, very hard even to get five innings in.''

The Marlins got to Harvey early scoring three runs in the first inning.

''I don't think he was off, they just took advantage of bleeders and one big hit,'' Mets catcher John Buck said.

Marcell Ozuna had three hits, including a double and a triple, and drove in four runs to lift the Marlins.

''I'm feeling great,'' Ozuna said. ''Everything is going good. Whenever I cross the (white chalk) line, I am trying to help the team.''

Greg Dobbs hit a three-run home run, and Ed Lucas and Chris Coghlan each had four hits and two RBIs for the Marlins, who tied a season-high with 16 hits and swept the Mets in Miami for the first time since May 28-30, 2004 outscoring the Mets 24-8 in the series.

''The last three games have been pretty fun to watch,'' Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. ''It's a different atmosphere (in the clubhouse) and definitely guys turned it up the last three days and hopefully we can keep it going.''

It was the first sweep for Miami since taking three from Philadelphia from June 29-July 1, 2012.

It's tough to sweep any series in the big leagues,'' Redmond said.

Ike Davis homered and drove in three runs, and Lucas Duda and Omar Quintanilla also hit homers for New York, which came to Miami on a five-game winning streak including a four-game sweep over the Yankees.

''Getting swept is not fun especially after sweeping the Yankees and feeling pretty good and then get our butt beat,'' Davis said.

Still, Harvey left the game with a 6-4 lead and was relieved by Scott Rice (3-4), who issued three consecutive walks with one out in the sixth.

Ozuna took advantage of Rice's lack of control with a two-run double to left to tie the game at 6-all.

''I thought I made a good pitch, but he was able to go down and get it,'' Rice said. ''I looked at the replay on it, the pitch was down, he just dug it out and you tip your cap I guess. He got me.''

Coghlan's RBI groundout gave the Marlins a 7-6 lead after leading 3-0 and 4-1 earlier in the game.

''After we got the lead, I think when they got it right back, it was kind of deflating part of the game,'' Collins said.

Lucas, who made his Major League debut on Thursday after 10 years in the Minors, had an RBI double before Dobbs' hit a three-run homer in the eighth to cap the scoring for the Marlins.

''It's been an unbelievable ride thus far,'' Lucas said.

Kevin Slowey started for Miami and allowed six runs in 4 1-3 innings. Wade LeBlanc (1-5) pitched 1 2-3 scoreless innings in relief for the win. After the game the Marlins announced that LeBlanc will be designated for assignment on Monday.

Ozuna, who went 0 for 3 on Saturday ending the Majors' longest hitting streak, hit a two-run triple in his first at-bat. Coglan followed with a bloop double to score Ozuna for an early 3-0 lead.

Duda's 10th home run of the season cut the deficit to 3-1.

Lucas had an RBI single in the second to push the Marlins lead to 4-1.

Quintanilla's solo home run pulled the Mets within a run before Davis hit a two-run home run to center field to tie the game at 4-all in the fourth.

After LeBlanc relieved Slowey, Marlon Byrd and Davis delivered back-to-back RBI singles to give the Mets a 6-4 lead.

NOTES: Harvey's previous shortest start also came against the Marlins when he allowed one run in 5 1-3 innings at Miami on April 29. ... Mets LHP Jonathon Niese (shoulder) is expected to re-join the starting rotation on Saturday if his bullpen session goes well on Tuesday. ... After the game the Marlins optioned OF Jordan Brown to Triple-A New Orleans and 1B Casey Kotchman (hamstring) will be reinstated from the 60-day disabled list on Monday. ''I'll be excited to put this uniform on and play,'' Kotchman said. In addition, LHP Edgar Olmos will be recalled from Double-A Jacksonville to replace LeBlanc. ... Miami will send RHP Tom Koehler (0-3, 3.22 ERA) to the mound against the Phillies RHP Kyle Kendrick (5-3, 3.27 ERA). ... The Mets are off on Monday and will begin a three-game series at Washington on Tuesday with RHP Jeremy Hefner (1-5, 4.74 ERA) on the hill against RHP Jordan Zimmermann (8-3, 2.37 ERA).

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball