Marlins 3, Mets 0 (Game 1)
Henderson Alvarez
scattered four hits over seven innings and Donovan Solano homered and
scored twice as visiting Miami seized the opener of a doubleheader.
Alvarez (4-4) struck out five to remain unbeaten in seven road
starts. After loading the bases with two outs in the bottom of the
second inning, he retired 16 of the last 18 hitters he faced.
The solid effort by Alvarez made New York starter Carlos Torres
(3-5) a tough-luck loser. Torres let up two runs and three hits while
striking out a career-high eight in six innings.
Solano was hit by a pitch to begin the fourth inning and came around to score on Logan Morrison's
RBI single. Solano again led off in the sixth, this time hammering a
1-0 offering over the center-field wall for his third home run to make
it 2-0.
Alvarez worked around a one-out double in the seventh before the
Marlins added a run in the eighth on Morrison's comebacker that caught
reliever Frank Francisco in the right wrist, forcing him from the game.
Chad Qualls worked the bottom of the eighth and Steve Cishek the ninth
for his 30th save as Miami improved to 11-6 against New York this
season.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Mets 3B David Wright, who has been sidelined since Aug. 2 with a right hamstring strain, ran the bases and hit against pitching coach Ricky Bones on Saturday.
Wright is targeting a late-season return. ... With the loss, New York
clinched its fifth straight season. ... RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka gave up one run and two hits in seven innings in the nightcap as the Mets salvaged a split of the doubleheader.