Syndergaard, Loney lead Mets to victory
MIAMI -- Noah Syndergaard won his fourth straight decision and James Loney hit a two-run, tiebreaking home run to lead the New York Mets to a 6-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Friday.
Syndergaard (6-2) struck out nine in seven innings, allowing two runs, six hits and one walk.
For Loney, it was career home run No. 100 and his first with the Mets, who acquired him May 28 after starting first baseman Lucas Duda suffered a back injury.
Loney's homer followed a four-pitch walk from Marlins starter Tom Koehler (3-6) to Wilmer Flores, who led off the seventh inning.
That's when Marlins manager Don Mattingly brought in left-hander Mike Dunn to face Loney, a lefty batter. Loney, though, pulled the first pitch he saw for an upper-deck shot to right.
Mets reliever Addison Reed struck out the side in the eighth -- all three of those batters were caught looking -- and catcher Rene Rivera added a two-run homer in the ninth.
The Mets (30-23) and Marlins (29-26) have split four games so far this season.
Miami, which had its three-game win streak snapped, was led by Marcell Ozuna, who belted a solo home run and drove in both runs.
In the second, Ozuna pulled a 100-mph fastball from Syndergaard, giving Miami a 1-0 lead with his homer to left.
The Mets took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. After Asdrubal Cabrera pulled a homer to right, Yoenis Cespedes singled and scored on Wilmer Flores' two-out hit to right. Flores hit a 3-2 pitch, and his bat shattered in half.
Ozuna tied the score in the sixth with a sacrifice fly. The rally started when Martin Prado singled and advanced to third on a double by Christian Yelich, who hit a grounder that deflected off the glove of Cabrera at shortstop and bounced into center field.
NOTES: Mets 3B David Wright (herniated disk in neck) was placed on the disabled list and is expected to miss at least two months and possibly the entire season if he requires surgery. The Mets promoted INF Matt Reynolds from Triple-A Las Vegas. ... The Mets plan to use Wilmer Flores at third base. ... Mets LHP Steven Matz (4-0, 1.83 ERA in May) was named the NL's Rookie of the Month. .... Marlins 2B Derek Dietrich (bruised left wrist) returned to the lineup after missing Thursday's game. ... Two Marlins -- RHP Jose Fernandez and CF Marcell Ozuna -- had outstanding months. But Fernandez was beaten out by Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers for NL Pitcher of the Month, and Ozuna was overtaken by Washington Nationals 2B Daniel Murphy for Player of the Month.