Slumping Marlins lose 5-4 to Mets

NEW YORK (AP) -- Whatever the Miami Marlins said during their players-only meeting, it didn't seem to help until the ninth inning.

And that, it turned out, was too late.

Jacob deGrom pitched seven shutout innings, and the New York Mets got home runs from Travis d'Arnaud and Wilmer Flores to beat the slumping Marlins 5-4 Saturday night for their seventh consecutive victory.

"When we put it all together," Miami starter Mat Latos said, "there's going to be hell to pay. We've got a great ballclub and I believe that."

Dee Gordon went 5 for 5 with three RBIs for the Marlins, who lost their third straight and dropped to 3-9. Hours earlier, players held a meeting in the clubhouse before batting practice in the wake of comments from Giancarlo Stanton that raised eyebrows the previous night.

"We have a positive vibe but the fire is not there, it seems like," Stanton said.

The $325 million slugger was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts Saturday, yet Miami rallied for three runs in the ninth against Carlos Torres. Mets closer Jeurys Familia was rested after saving five games over the previous six days.

Michael Morse hit a leadoff homer, and Gordon's two-run single made it 5-4. But then Alex Torres struck out Christian Yelich with a runner aboard for his first major league save.

Yelich, who fanned four times, watched the bat slip out of his hands on his final swing and sail several feet beyond first base.

"It was great to see us come to life there at the end," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "Hopefully that will give us some momentum going into tomorrow."

All-Star ace Matt Harvey pitches Sunday, when New York goes for a four-game sweep of its NL East rival.

Juan Lagares and Eric Campbell each had an RBI single to help the Mets (9-3) open their home schedule with six wins in a row, equaling the club record set in 1985. The overall winning streak is New York's longest since an eight-game run in June 2010.

New York's fast start has caught on quickly with fans of a team that's endured six consecutive losing seasons since moving into Citi Field. The attendance of 41,844 on Fireworks Night marked the Mets' second sellout - and those two crowds over 40,000 matched last year's total.

"We've run into some teams that are just swinging it and they're playing good baseball right now," Latos said. "It's tough right now, but the best part about it is that it's April and we are not going to win anything in April or May. The playoffs don't start in May.

"We all have to come together, which we are. We play as 25 and we've got a great ballclub and it's just a matter of putting things together."

Latos (0-3) was much better in his third start for Miami, but was lifted for a pinch hitter down 2-0 in the sixth.

On the other side, deGrom (2-1) struck out eight and walked none in his second consecutive spotless outing. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year extended his career-best scoreless streak to 18 1-3 innings.

"We're all having a blast," d'Arnaud said. "Every day we show up to the park and it's instant jokes and laughing and just having fun."

MIAMI'S CATCHERS

Slumping catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia was back in the lineup after three days off, a break the Marlins hoped would help get him going. Saltalamacchia went 0 for 3 with a strikeout, leaving him 2 for 25 (.080) with 12 Ks this season. Redmond said rookie J.T. Realmuto will start behind the plate Sunday afternoon.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Marlins: RHP Jose Fernandez (Tommy John surgery) was transferred to the 60-day DL when Miami claimed LHP Matt Tracy off waivers from the New York Yankees. Tracy will report to Triple-A New Orleans.

UNHITTABLE AT HOME

It was deGrom's first game against Miami since tying a big league record by whiffing the first eight Marlins batters last Sept. 15 at Citi Field. The right-hander is 7-0 with a 0.95 ERA in his past eight starts at home. He has struck out 64 and walked seven during that span.

UP NEXT

Marlins: Tom Koehler (1-1) estimated he might have about 50 fans on hand when he pitches Sunday. Koehler was born in the Bronx and went to New Rochelle High School nearby before attending Stony Brook University on Long Island. He is 1-3 with a 2.67 ERA in 12 games against the Mets, including nine starts.

Mets: Harvey tries to start 3-0 in his return from Tommy John surgery. He is 0-1 with a 3.52 ERA in four outings against Miami.

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