Stanton hits 2 homers, Marlins tag Niese and beat Mets 9-5

NEW YORK (AP) -- Giancarlo Stanton homered twice and Christian Yelich snapped a seventh-inning tie with a two-run single, sending the Miami Marlins to a 9-5 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday.

J.T. Realmuto and Jeff Baker also went deep as Miami dinged a struggling Jonathon Niese, who lasted only four innings.

The Marlins had lost 14 of 17 before taking the first two games of this series, giving them four straight wins against the NL East rival Mets after dropping the first five meetings this season.

Six relievers combined for 5 2-3 shutout innings of two-hit ball, and Miami won consecutive road games for the first time since April 22-23.

Ruben Tejada hit a three-run double and Lucas Duda had an RBI double for New York, which fell to 20-8 at home and 12-5 in day games.

Stanton launched his 15th homer in the ninth an estimated 455 feet deep into the second deck in left-center. Baker connected on the next pitch from Alex Torres, giving the Marlins back-to-back homers for the first time this year.

It was Stanton's 15th career two-homer game.

Mike Dunn (1-3) escaped a sixth-inning jam by striking out Duda and retiring Daniel Murphy with runners at the corners.

A.J. Ramos got four outs for his fourth save in as many chances since taking over as closer.

Donovan Solano hit an early two-run double off Niese, who is 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA in his last four starts. Stanton lined a shot over the right-center fence in the third, and Realmuto added a two-run drive in the fourth for his second major league long ball.

Miami loaded the bases in the seventh with the help of a double that Martin Prado chopped off the glove of a leaping Tejada at third base. Two outs later, Yelich singled to right off rookie Hansel Robles (0-1) to give the Marlins a 7-5 lead.

Marlins starter Tom Koehler - and his family sitting in the stands - had quite a scare in the second when a line drive nearly hit him in the back of the head. The ball glanced off the top of his right shoulder, knocking his cap to the ground as he flinched, and deflected directly to second baseman Dee Gordon for a groundout.

Koehler, who grew up in nearby New Rochelle, bent over at the knees and breathed a sigh of relief as his mother covered her mouth with her hand. But after a huddle on the mound that included the trainer, Koehler threw two warmup pitches and stayed in the game.

Miami handed Koehler a 5-1 lead that he squandered in the fourth. With the bases loaded, Curtis Granderson lofted a wind-blown single off the left-center wall and Tejada tied it with a drive to left-center.

The light-hitting Tejada has seven RBIs this season - six on a pair of three-run doubles to left-center off Koehler at Citi Field.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Marlins: SS Adeiny Hechavarria sat out with a bruised left shoulder, but the Marlins hope he'll be sidelined just a day or two. Hechavarria, who had started all 49 games this season, crashed into Yelich while they were pursuing a ninth-inning blooper Friday night. Solano started at shortstop. ... Backup C Jeff Mathis (broken right hand) caught Friday night for Double-A Jacksonville but there is no timetable for his return until he gets comfortable at the plate, manager Dan Jennings said. Mathis went 0 for 10 in four games with Triple-A New Orleans before the Zephyrs headed out West this weekend.

Mets: Gold Glove CF Juan Lagares is playing through discomfort in his ribs and right elbow.

UP NEXT

Marlins RHP David Phelps (2-2) starts the series finale Sunday against 42-year-old Bartolo Colon (7-3, 4.82 ERA), who has received a decision in each of his past 22 outings. Colon is 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA in two starts vs. Miami at Citi Field, but Stanton is 5 for 8 with two homers against him overall.

(© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed)