Marlins' Garcia Throws 6 No-Hit Innings In First MLB Start
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — It was about as good of a first MLB start as a young pitcher could hope for.
Marlins lefty Jarlin Garcia was pulled after pitching six hitless innings in his first big league start, and the New York Mets took advantage of a strong season debut by Zack Wheeler to beat Miami 4-1 Wednesday night for their eighth straight victory.
Adrian Gonzalez's pinch-hit, two-run single off Chris O'Grady in a four-run eighth inning put the Mets ahead and helped extend the best start in team history to 10-1.
Garcia pitched 68 times in relief last year as a rookie and had worked twice in relief this season.
The 25-year-old struck out three, walked two and was taken out by manager Don Mattingly after throwing 77 pitches.
Drew Steckenrider replaced him with a 1-0 lead and retired the first two batters in the seventh before Todd Frazier broke up the combined no-hit bid by lining a 1-2 pitch for a single.
Under new manager Mickey Callaway, the Mets have already posted six come-from-behind victories. They went 6-0 on a two-city swing, going unbeaten on a trip of six games or more for the first time since 1991.
Wheeler (1-0) gave up a homer to Miguel Rojas in the first inning but allowed only one other hit and retired the final 16 batters he faced. He departed after seven innings and 83 pitches.
Wheeler made his first start of the year for the Mets after struggling in spring training and beginning the season in the minors. It marked the first time the Mets' heralded quintet of Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz, Matt Harvey and Wheeler have made a rotation turn together.
A.J. Ramos completed a two-hitter by getting the final two outs on a double play for his first save.
New York overcame a 1-0 deficit in the eighth. Kevin Plawecki was hit by a pitch, and he went to third when pinch hitter Michael Conforto doubled off O'Grady (0-1). Both scored on Gonzalez's hit, Wilmer Flores singled home another run, and Frazier added a sacrifice fly.
For the third night in a row Miami drew the smallest crowd in the seven-season history of Marlins Park. Attendance was 6,150, and they saw the Mets sweep a series from their NL East rivals for the first time since August 2015.
Frazier reached leading off the second inning on a throwing error by third baseman Brian Anderson. That was the Mets' only runner until Garcia issued consecutive walks with one out in the fifth.
Garcia had a 4.73 ERA last year in 53 1/3 innings.
CATCHING INJURIES
Plawecki came out of the game for a pinch hitter soon after being hit on the back of his left hand by a pitch. X-rays were negative. He became the Mets' regular catcher with the loss of Travis d'Arnaud, who went on the disabled list because of a right elbow injury that could end his season.
SLUMP
Marlins rookie Lewis Brinson went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts. He's hitless in his past 25 at-bats with 12 strikeouts.
HISTORY OF HOOKS
Mattingly pulled Wei-Yin Chen after seven hitless innings and 100 pitches against Seattle last April 18 and Adam Conley after 7 2/3 hitless innings and 116 pitches verses Milwaukee on April 29, 2016. Each time the bullpen allowed a hit.
ROSTER MOVE
RHP Jacob Turner cleared waivers and was assigned to the Marlins' Triple-A affiliate in New Orleans.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: RHP Dan Straily (forearm) is scheduled to begin a rehab stint Friday with Single-A Jupiter.
UP NEXT
Mets: After an off day, Matz (0-1, 3.00) is scheduled to start Friday when the Mets begin a six-game homestand against Milwaukee and RHP Zach Davies (0-1, 5.40).
Marlins: They continue their homestand Friday, when LHP Dillon Peters (1-1, 9.35) is scheduled to start against Pittsburgh and RHP Chad Kuhl (1-0, 5.06).
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
