Johnson's double keeps Mets rolling
NEW YORK -- Kelly Johnson's three-run double with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning Wednesday night snapped a tie and lifted the red-hot New York Mets to a 5-2 win over the Miami Marlins at Citi Field.
The Mets (69-64) have won the first three games of a four-game series against the Marlins (67-66) and nine of their last 11 overall. With Wednesday's win, New York ensured it would remain no more than 2 1/2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the race for the National League's second wild card spot.
The Marlins have lost five straight, a stretch in which they have scored just eight runs.
Yoenis Cespedes led off the eighth with a single against A.J. Ramos (1-2). Curtis Granderson walked, after which Ramos retired Wilmer Flores and Jay Bruce. Travis d'Arnaud worked a five-pitch walk to load the bases before Johnson ripped a full-count pitch down the right field line to clear the bases.
Right-hander Addison Reed (4-2) earned the win with a perfect eighth before Jeurys Familia notched his team-record 44th save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Flores hit a two-run homer in the first for the Mets while Johnson, Bruce, Cespedes and d'Arnaud all had two hits apiece.
Christian Yelich had two hits, including a homer leading off the sixth for the Marlins, while J.T. Realmuto had three hits.
The Marlins scored their first run in the second, when Ichiro Suzuki singled, took second on an errant pickoff attempt by Bartolo Colon, advanced to third on an infield single by Realmuto and scored on third baseman Jose Reyes' throwing error.
Neither Colon nor Marlins right-hander Jake Esch factored into the decision in a matchup of the most and least experienced starters in Major League Baseball.
Colon, whose 494 starts are most among active players, allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits and no walks while striking out three over seven innings.
Esch, who was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans to make his major league debut after scheduled starter David Phelps suffered an oblique injury while taking batting practice Tuesday, allowed two runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out two in 4 1/3 innings.
NOTES: The ceremonial first pitch was thrown out by Scott Rush, who managed the Maine-Endwell (NY) team to the Little League World Series championship last weekend. The team stood behind Rush for the first pitch. ... Mets 2B Neil Walker was diagnosed with a herniated disk in his back. The ailment is creating numbness for Walker in his leg and foot, but the Mets are hopeful he can play again this season. Walker, who underwent further testing Wednesday, has missed eight of the last 14 games due to the injury. ... While Marlins RHP Jake Esch made his big league debut, Mets RHP Bartolo Colon made his 494th career start, breaking a tie with Mark Buehrle for 50th place all-time. ... Marlins RHP Andrew Cashner (blister) had a successful bullpen session Wednesday and remains on pace to start Friday against the Cleveland Indians.