Mets 4, Marlins 3
NEW YORK -- Right-hander Bartolo Colon took over the National League lead in wins Sunday afternoon, throwing seven solid innings and helping his own cause with an RBI double as the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 4-3 at Citi Field.
The Mets (28-23) salvaged the finale of the three-game series and moved within a half-game of the Washington Nationals -- losers at Cincinnati on Sunday -- for first place in the NL East. The Marlins (20-31) were pursuing just their second three-game winning streak of the season.
The 42-year-old Colon was pinch-hit for with the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh. But with two outs and center fielder Juan Lagares at second base, Marlins right-hander Steve Cishek (1-5) intentionally walked right fielder Curtis Granderson after falling behind 2-0. Third baseman Ruben Tejada then laced an RBI double to deep left field to score Lagares.
Right-hander Carlos Torres allowed a hit and recorded an out in the eighth before giving way to right-hander Jeurys Familia, who stranded two runners in the eighth and another in the ninth for his 15th save.
Colon (8-3) has earned a decision in each of his last 23 starts. He allowed three runs on six hits and no walks while striking out two and throwing just 79 pitches, 55 for strikes.
Colon drew the biggest roar form the crowd of 28,711 in the second inning, when, with the score tied 1-1, he doubled to score catcher Anthony Recker from second. The ball skipped past Marlins center fielder Ichiro Suzuki, who was playing shallow with Colon at the plate, and rolled all the way to the wall. The double was just the second extra-base hit ever for Colon, a lifetime .078 hitter, while the RBI was his eighth.
Shortstop Wilmer Flores homered in the third for the Mets.
First baseman Justin Bour had two hits for the Marlins, including a game-tying homer in the sixth. Left fielder Christian Yelich had an RBI fielder's choice in the second while catcher Jhonatan Solano had an RBI groundout in the fifth.
Marlins right-hander David Phelps didn't factor into the decision after allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits and no walks while striking out two over six innings. Phelps threw 48 pitches in the first two innings but retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced following Colon's double.
NOTES: Injured Mets 3B David Wright (hamstring, back) is planning to visit teammates Tuesday, when the Mets play the middle game of a three-game series in San Diego against the Padres. Wright is in California undergoing physical therapy for spinal stenosis, which he was diagnosed with May 22. ... Mets RHP Bobby Parnell (Tommy John surgery) gave up five runs in one-third of an inning for Double-A Binghamton on Saturday night, but manager Terry Collins said the reports on Parnell's stuff were solid. ... The Marlins will have one of the most anticipated extended spring training games ever Monday, when RHPs Jose Fernandez (Tommy John surgery) and Jarred Cosart (vertigo) oppose one another in Jupiter. ... Marlins OF Ichiro Suzuki batted fifth Sunday for just the 12th time in 1,777 big-league starts.