METS 6, MARLINS 2
at Jupiter, Fla.
Tuesday, March 4

Marlins at the plate: Jose Castillo snapped an 0-for-11 spring slide with a big game. He homered in the second inning and added a double in the fourth. Hanley Ramirez, returning to the lineup after sitting out with a sore left ankle, went 1-for-3. Jeremy Hermida lined a single to left field in the first inning but was stranded. The Marlins made it 2-2 in the eighth when John Gall, who singled, scored on Angel Pagan's error on Gaby Sanchez's long fly to center.

Mets at the plate: Pagan had a big day with three singles and two RBIs. An error by third baseman Jason Wood on Daniel Murphy's grounder opened the door for the Mets to grab the lead in the ninth inning. After Richard Lucas' ground-rule double, Ruben Tejada floated an RBI single to right. Ezequiel Cabrera added an RBI single off Matt Lindstrom, as did Pagan. Anderson Hernandez's run-scoring single in the seventh inning put the Mets ahead, 2-1. Tejada singled and stole second and scored on Hernandez's single to right. Pagan's RBI single scored Hernandez to even the game at 1 in the third inning. In the first inning, Jose Reyes, David Wright and Pagan each singled but the Mets were unable to push across a run.

Marlins on the mound: Mark Hendrickson gave up six hits and one run over three innings. He was aided by two double plays, struck out one and walked one. Of his 44 pitches, 27 were strikes. Prospect Chris Volstad tossed two scoreless innings, walking one and hitting a batter while striking out one.

Mets on the mound: John Maine scattered four hits and surrendered one run, while striking out three in three innings. Lefty Pedro Feliciano tossed a scoreless fourth inning, giving up two hits and striking out two.

Grapefruit League records: Marlins 5-2, Mets 4-3.

Up next: The Marlins have a split-squad set for Wednesday. In a 1:05 p.m. ET start against the Orioles at Fort Lauderdale Stadium, Rick VandenHurk (0-0, 4.50 ERA) gets the start. Steve Trachsel (0-0, 0.00 ERA) gets the nod for Baltimore. And at 7:05 p.m., Ricky Nolasco (1-0, 0.00 ERA) starts for Florida against the Cardinals in Jupiter. Adam Wainwright (0-0, 6.00 ERA) goes for St. Louis.

The Mets will face the Dodgers in Port St. Lucie at 1:10 p.m. Johan Santana (0-0, 13.50 ERA) will make his second spring start for the Mets. Los Angeles will counter with Brad Penny (0-0, 0.00 ERA).