Giancarlo Stanton homers, drives in 3 as Marlins beat Mets
MIAMI (AP) -- Ichiro Suzuki was trying to merely drive home an insurance run.
He outdid his own expectations, by plenty.
His three-run home run in the eighth blew the game open, Giancarlo Stanton also homered and drove in three runs and the Miami Marlins beat the New York Mets 7-3 on Wednesday night.
It was Ichiro's first homer as a member of the Marlins, and just his second in his last 523 plate appearances going back to Aug. 30, 2013. He was beaming for several minutes in the dugout, even after slapping hands with teammates and acknowledging the fans' desire for a curtain call.
"Just to see my teammates so happy and the fans so happy, I was very moved," Ichiro said through a translator. "I almost cried. Just very moved."
Dee Gordon had two hits and his sacrifice fly in the seventh put the Marlins ahead for good, adding to a night where he raised his average to .409 and Miami won for the seventh time in its last eight games after that dreadful 3-11 start.
Sam Dyson (1-0) worked two perfect innings of relief after starter Mat Latos left in the fifth with a left hamstring strain.
"These guys have always responded," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "Shows a lot about the character on this ballclub. We don't panic. We go out there and play our game."
Colon (4-1) failed in his bid to be the majors' first five-game winner in 2015, allowing nine hits and four runs in 6 2-3 innings. The Mets used four relievers, all of whom worked at some point in the eighth inning.
"You can't get down because you're 2-4 on the road trip," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "You pick yourself up and go home."
Michael Cuddyer hit a two-run homer and Lucas Duda drove in another run for the Mets, who wasted leads of 2-0 and 3-2. Adeiny Hechavarria led off the seventh with a double for Miami, eventually scoring on Gordon's fly to center.
Latos led off the fifth with a single, and that's where his night ended. After a quick conversation at first base Redmond decided to make a change and Latos limped off the field, then banged his helmet on a dugout wall in frustration.
Latos will have an MRI on Thursday.
"Knock on wood that everything's OK," Latos said. "Feel like everything is, but I throw a baseball for a living. I'm not a doctor."
At least the Marlins made his hit count.
Donovan Solano pinch-ran for Latos, moved to second on Gordon's second hit, took third on a double-play ball and scored when Stanton was credited with an infield single that tied the game at 3-all.
Cuddyer and Stanton each hit two-run homers in the first. The Mets went up 3-2 in the third when Curtis Granderson hit a leadoff double and scored after two groundouts.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: 3B David Wright (right hamstring strain) took batting practice Wednesday. The Mets are hoping he can resume playing this weekend. ... RHP Bobby Parnell (right forearm soreness) is scheduled to resume throwing off flat ground Thursday, as his rehab from last year's right elbow reconstruction surgery continues.
Marlins: RHP Jose Fernandez (right elbow surgery) is scheduled to throw 15 pitches to live hitters at the team's complex in Jupiter, Florida on Thursday. The Marlins view Thursday as just another step in his comeback, not an indicator that his expected somewhere-around-midseason return could be accelerated. "Just another step in the process," Redmond said.
ICHIRO-COLON, ROUND 100
Ichiro's first plate appearance Wednesday was his 100th against Colon, including postseason play. The only pitcher Ichiro has faced more in the majors is John Lackey, with 122 plate appearances against that veteran right-hander.
MAGIC NUMBER 4
The Mets are 11-1 when scoring at least four runs. They're 4-6 when they score three or less.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (2-2, 2.96) is the probable starter Thursday when the Mets return home to face RHP Stephen Strasburg (1-2, 4.88) and the Washington Nationals.
Marlins: RHP Tom Koehler (2-2, 4.50) gets the ball Friday when Miami plays host to RHP Jerome Williams (2-1, 3.80) and the Philadelphia Phillies.
