NEW YORK -- The signs were plenty. There were rambunctious, noise stick-wielding denizens packing the center-field bleachers. There were the late-arriving, but surely present, thousands drifting in on a picture-perfect July afternoon. And there were the bursts of energy and excitement -- pent up after several futile months -- during Chris Young's game-tying, pinch-hit homer in the seventh, and again when Daniel Murphy's leaping catch saved a run in the eighth. 
And then, as Travis d'Arnaud slid across home plate in the eighth on an Eric Campbell looper to center, the Citi Field crowd rose to its feet for the first Mets lead of the day. d'Arnaud's run stood as the game-winner in the Mets' 5-4 win over the Marlins on Saturday, their seventh win in nine games this homestand. This one clinched New York's third straight series win.Jenrry Mejia pitched a perfect ninth and recorded the save to cap an eventful day in Queens.Miami held a 2-0 lead, one of the runs coming on Christian Yelich's solo shot, before the Mets scored twice in the fifth. Yelich misplayed a Kirk Nieuwenhuis fly ball that went for a double to put men on second and third with none out, then Juan Lagares' groundout scored d'Arnaud. Nieuwenhuis came home when Ruben Tejada executed a squeeze bunt.The Marlins retook the lead with a pair of runs in the sixth thanks in part to Curtis Granderson misreading a Marcell Ozuna line drive. That held up until Young swatted the first pitch he saw into the left-field stands.Daisuke Matsuzaka was good, but not great, in what might be his last start for the foreseeable future with Jon Niese expected back after the All-Star break. The veteran righty allowed four runs in six innings while striking out 10, tying his career high.Matsuzaka's counterpart, Tom Koehler, edged him slightly, tossing 6 1/3 innings of three-run ball. The Mets managed only two hits -- but four walks -- off Koehler while striking out four times.Tim Healey / MLB.com
And then, as Travis d'Arnaud slid across home plate in the eighth on an Eric Campbell looper to center, the Citi Field crowd rose to its feet for the first Mets lead of the day. d'Arnaud's run stood as the game-winner in the Mets' 5-4 win over the Marlins on Saturday, their seventh win in nine games this homestand. This one clinched New York's third straight series win.Jenrry Mejia pitched a perfect ninth and recorded the save to cap an eventful day in Queens.Miami held a 2-0 lead, one of the runs coming on Christian Yelich's solo shot, before the Mets scored twice in the fifth. Yelich misplayed a Kirk Nieuwenhuis fly ball that went for a double to put men on second and third with none out, then Juan Lagares' groundout scored d'Arnaud. Nieuwenhuis came home when Ruben Tejada executed a squeeze bunt.The Marlins retook the lead with a pair of runs in the sixth thanks in part to Curtis Granderson misreading a Marcell Ozuna line drive. That held up until Young swatted the first pitch he saw into the left-field stands.Daisuke Matsuzaka was good, but not great, in what might be his last start for the foreseeable future with Jon Niese expected back after the All-Star break. The veteran righty allowed four runs in six innings while striking out 10, tying his career high.Matsuzaka's counterpart, Tom Koehler, edged him slightly, tossing 6 1/3 innings of three-run ball. The Mets managed only two hits -- but four walks -- off Koehler while striking out four times.Tim Healey / MLB.com
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
