Colon Can't Stay Perfect, Mets Cool Off With Nats On Deck
MIAMI (CBSNewYork/AP) — Bartolo Colon couldn't join an exclusive New York Mets club.
Colon's bid to be the first five-game winner of 2015 was thwarted, as was his chance at joining Dwight Gooden and Pedro Martinez as just the third pitcher to post a 5-0 April for the Mets. Ichiro Suzuki hit a three-run home run, Giancarlo Stanton homered and finished with three RBIs and the Miami Marlins beat the Mets 7-3 on Wednesday night.
"I thought I pitched a good game and the team behind me gave me support," Colon said. "They scored runs for me. Too bad I couldn't pick them up when I needed to."
It was the fourth loss on a six-game trip for the Mets, who are 10-0 at home this season and 5-7 on the road. They'll return to Citi Field for a four-game series against NL East rival Washington on Thursday.
"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."
In the eighth and with Miami leading 4-3, all Suzuki wanted was to drive home an insurance run.
He outdid his own expectations. His homer — his second since August 2013 — blew the game open.
"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."
Colon (4-1) allowed nine hits and four runs in 6 2-3 innings. 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.
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.
"You can't walk this guy every time up," Collins said of Stanton. "You've got to be able to pitch to him and make pitches. You start doing that, and you start looking up and you've got huge innings on your hands."
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.
"There's no concern," Cuddyer said. "We played well here. We just got beat."
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.
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