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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Mets are playing their best baseball heading
into their biggest series of the season.
New York won its seventh straight game, as Mark Johnson's
two-run single capped a five-run sixth inning in the Mets' 6-5 win
over the Florida Marlins on Wednesday night.
New York remained two games behind Atlanta in the NL East, with
a four-game showdown with John Rocker and the Braves beginning
Thursday at Shea Stadium. Atlanta beat Montreal 7-4.
"It won't make or break our season," said Mets reliever John
Franco, who pitched the ninth for his third save. "But it's a big
series. Anyone who doesn't say that is lying. I just hope people
will focus on the games going on, not the circus."
Rocker, who disparaged New York's diversity in a magazine
interview in December, was also a key player for the Braves when
they eliminated the Mets 4-2 in a thrilling NLCS last October.
After three days of dodging questions about Rocker and Atlanta,
the Mets can finally focus on the team to beat in the NL East.
"We're tired of talking about it," New York's Robin Ventura
said. "We just want to play."
For the first five innings, it looked like New York would be
entering the series with a loss. But trailing 4-1, the Mets rallied
despite getting just two hits.
Brad Penny (4-7) pitched through trouble in the first five
innings, allowing at least one baserunner an inning and getting out
of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth.
After striking out Jay Payton and Matt Franco to open the
inning, Penny lost his control. He got ahead 0-2 to Benny Agbayani,
who worked an eight-pitch walk.
"I tried to strike him out and I tried to overpower him,"
Penny said. "That's how we lost the game."
Kurt Abbott followed with a single and pinch-hitter Ventura
walked. Melvin Mora then drew a bases-loaded walk to cut the lead
to 4-2 and finish Penny. Ricky Bones came on and walked Derek Bell,
who just held up his swing on a 3-2 pitch. Mike Piazza then reached
on an error by shortstop Andy Fox, allowing pinch-runner Mike
Hampton to score the tying run.
Johnson, a late addition to the lineup when Ventura was
scratched with a sore right shoulder, then lined a single to left,
giving New York a 6-4 lead.
"It was a great situation to hit in," Johnson said. "The
bases were loaded and the guys in front of me gave me a lot of
pitches to see."
It was the Mets' only hit in 14 chances with runners in scoring
position.
"You know that saying that you learn more from defeats than
victories," manager John Boles said. "Then we're going to become
Einsteins. We're going to be rocket scientists. We're going to find
a cure for cancer. It's a shame you have to lose a game like this
for some of those lessons to sink in."
Bobby J. Jones (3-3), in his second start back from a minor
league stint, reverted to his ineffective form from the first two
months of the season but ended up with the win.
After shutting down Pittsburgh for eight innings last Friday,
Jones gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings, including a
solo homer to Cliff Floyd and a two-run shot by Mike Lowell.
Piazza set a Mets' record by driving in a run in his 11th
straight game. Piazza's RBI groundout in the third scored Mora,
breaking the record he set last August.
Luis Castillo had a rare RBI single, giving the Marlins a 4-1
lead in the fifth. Castillo, hitting .357, has four RBIs in 227
at-bats. Preston Wilson added an RBI single in the seventh to make
it 6-5.
Game notes
Mets manager Bobby Valentine nearly pinch-hit for Jones
with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth because he was
expecting it to rain. But GM Steve Phillips called the dugout
before Jones' at-bat and said the forecast had changed. It didn't
start raining until after the game. ... Penny allowed five runs -- three earned -- eight hits and five walks in 5 2-3 innings. ...
Piazza, who has a 16-game hitting streak, has 20 RBIs in his last
11 games. ... Castillo was hitting .162 with runners in scoring
position. ... The Marlins won their first five series against NL
East teams before being swept by New York. ... Mets OF Darryl
Hamilton, out since the first week of the season, went 1-for-3 with
a walk in his first rehab game at Class A St. Lucie. ... The Mets,
who won nine straight in April, are calling the current streak
their best stretch of the season.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Florida Clubhouse
NY Mets Clubhouse
Rocker's return overshadows first-place showdown
RECAPS
Baltimore 8
Boston 7
Detroit 13
NY Yankees 6
Toronto 5
Tampa Bay 2
Chi. White Sox 7
Minnesota 3
Kansas City 8
Cleveland 1
Texas 5
Oakland 3
Anaheim 3
Seattle 2
Cincinnati 7
St. Louis 3
Atlanta 7
Montreal 4
Chicago Cubs 5
Pittsburgh 4
NY Mets 6
Florida 5
Philadelphia 9
Milwaukee 7
Colorado 17
San Francisco 13
Arizona 6
Houston 2
Los Angeles 5
San Diego 4
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