Marlins rally past Mets in ninth

MIAMI -- Maybe the breaks are starting to go the Miami Marlins' way.

The Marlins, helped by a close call at third base, rallied in the ninth inning for the second straight game, beating the New York Mets 2-1 on Tuesday night in front of an announced crowd of 15,018 at Marlins Park.

It was the Marlins' season-best third straight win and guaranteed them their first series win of the year. But entering the ninth, they trailed 1-0 and had managed only three singles and no walks against Mets starter Jeremy Hefner.

The Marlins' rally started with Chris Coghlan's single to left. He advanced on a passed ball by backup catcher Anthony Recker and took third on a bunt by Juan Pierre. The Mets tried to get Coghlan at third but failed.

"I knew we needed to get an out and I tried to make a play that I probably shouldn't have," Recker said. "The throw was a little bit high. If it was a good throw, we might have had him."

Mets third baseman David Wright argued that Coghlan over-slid the bag, but the call stood.

"It looked close," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "When I saw the umpire's hands go safe, I was excited. I knew we were in business."

Mets manager Terry Collins must have sensed the same thing because he removed Hefner and brought in reliever Brandon Lyon instead of Bobby Parnell, who blew the save the previous night.

The Marlins' Donovan Solano was aggressive with Lyon, fouling his first two pitches before working the count to 3-2. That's when Solano slapped a soft single the opposite way to right field, tying the score 1-1.

"Solano had a tremendous at-bat to get Cogs in," Pierre said.

Pierre took third on the hit, and after Placido Polanco was walked intentionally, Lyon's first pitch to Greg Dobbs was wild and in the dirt, allowing Pierre to score.

"The ball kicks back (off the wall) pretty hard," Pierre said. "But I said, 'I can make this one.'

"I can say this is the first time I've ever scored a winning run like that."

The Mets (10-15), who lost their sixth game in a row, got great pitching from Hefner (0-3) but not much else.

"Jeremy pitched great and deserved to be out there for the ninth," Collins said. "But he fell behind Coghlan (3-1), and that didn't help."

New York got its run in the fifth when Daniel Murphy led off with a double down the line in left, took third when Ike Davis flied out to center and scored on Recker's fly to left.

But the Mets could not solve Marlins starter Kevin Slowey, who got a no-decision and has the lowest ERA (2.15) in the majors among starters who have yet to win a game this season.

Slowey gave up four hits and no walks and struck out eight in eight innings. But in six starts this season, the Marlins have scored just eight runs.

"We've got to score some runs for him and get him a win," Pierre said. "I feel bad for him. He's that guy in the rotation that we never score runs for -- not that we're scoring for all of them. But we're scoring the least for him, and he never lets it affect him."

NOTES: Wright, who did not start Monday because of a stiff neck, was back in the lineup Tuesday. ... The Mets also gave a start to a couple of backups -- Recker and rookie center fielder Juan Lagares. ... Mets pitcher Shaun Marcum, who volunteered to pitch out of the bullpen in Monday's 15-inning loss to the Marlins, said he still expects to pitch his normal turn. If so, he will pitch Friday in Atlanta. ... Marlins first baseman Joe Mahoney has been placed on the disabled list with a tight right hamstring. He hit his first big-league homer Friday against the Cubs but then missed Sunday's and Monday's games because of the hamstring issue. ... Right fielder Marcell Ozuna was promoted by the Marlins from Double-A Jacksonville early Tuesday morning. He was putting up stellar numbers in Double-A: .333 with five homers and 15 RBI in 10 games. He also had three doubles and one triple. ... The Marlins also called up left-hander Brad Hand from Triple-A New Orleans after using seven pitchers in a 15-inning win over the Mets on Monday. Hand was scheduled to make a minor-league start Tuesday, so he is fresh and offers the Marlins the ability to throw several innings should the need arise.