The start of the game was delayed by 80 minutes due to rain, which was the only thing that made it feel like a home game. Okay, okay, the humidity and the heat throughout the game was reminiscent of home too. Anyway, after the rain delay home plate umpire Tim McClelland started the game with the traditional cry of "Let the errors begin!" And begin they did.
Chris Volstad was leaving everything out over the plate in the first and the Mets weren't missing anything. Jesus Feliciano led off the inning with a double, Ruben Tejada was safe on an error attributed to Gaby Sanchez. We learned a lot when the error was given to Gaby. (Obviously Hanley Ramirez's Mom is the official score keeper for the games in Puerto Rico, who knew.) Then David Wright double to center, scoring Feliciano and Tejada. Afterward, Ike Davis singled to score Wright. It really made one wish that the game had just been rained out and never played.
The Marlins answered in the bottom of the first with Chris Coghlan hitting a double to center to leadoff. Hanley singled Coghlan home and Dan Uggla drove in Hanley. So after the first it was 3-2 Mets.
The first inning did bode that this game would take forever, and the game did not disappoint in that prediction.
The Mets added on a run in the second when Feliciano drove in Alex Cora to make the score 4-2 Mets. Volstad finally settled down and pitched a 1-2-3 third and fourth, and in the fifth he faced just one over the minimum. In the Marlins half of the fifth Hanley lead off with a single, and Cantu doubled Hanley home. Danny singled home Cantu to tie the game, and then Cody hit into a double play to clear the bases. Not exactly what we were looking for. Then Ronnie Paulino singled and Mike Stanton followed with a single, so with runners on the corners and two outs, Edwin decided this was the perfect time to hit for Volstad. So Mike Lamb emerged from the the dugout to do what he does best: hit a ground ball back to the pitcher for the final out of the inning.
So here we are, game tied, and the Marlins bullpen, supported by the Marlins defense, is going to have to pitch 4 innings. What could go wrong?
Alejandro Sanabia trotted to the mound. Jason Bay was first up and hit routine ground ball to third, unfortunately when it hit the dirt it skipped under Cantu's glove for error number two of the night. There would be more to come. Chris Carter singled Bay to second. After an out, Cora loaded the bases thanks to Danny trying to do a nifty catch, jump and throw move. Sadly, Danny isn't very good at the nifty catch, jump and throw move and everyone was safe on error number three of the night. Pinch hitter Josh Thole singled to left scoring Bay and leaving the bases loaded. The Marlins got out the inning when Feliciano lined into a double play to Hanley. 5-4 Mets.
Moving ahead to the seventh, Sanabia hit leadoff hitter Tejada to start the inning. David Wright put runners on first and second when Cantu once again showed that throwing the ball all the way across the diamond is really hard, for the fourth error of the night. Jason Bay would later single home Tejada to make the score 6-4 Mets.
The Marlins would answer back in the 8th when with two outs Coghlan singled and Gaby doubled him home to bring the Marlins within a run. Hanley was issued an IBB and this left it up to Wes Helms, who was hitting for Cantu. (Jorge left the game due to dizziness. It is not considered serious.) Anyway, Uncle Wes hit a routine fly to center to end the inning.
Tim Wood, Taylor Tankersley and Brian Sanches shutdown the Mets in the ninth, so it was rally time. Or so we hoped. After Danny struck out Cody singled to center and Paulino singled to right. Stanton hit into a fielder's choice and left runners on the corners with two outs. With the pitcher's spot due up there was only one thing to do, send Brian Barden to the plate. Oy. It went just like you would imagine, Barden struck out to end the game with the final score of the game being the Marlins 5, Mets 6.
If you didn't see this game, consider yourself lucky, 'cause it took forever and there was nothing pretty about it. Be sure to dry your broom out before once again putting it away unused, wouldn't want it to mildew. One of these days we may actually get to wave it in the air. Now onto Atlanta.