Wright Sparks Mets In Return From DL
MIAMI (WFAN/AP) -- Playing for the first time in two months, David Wright looked rusty celebrating his success.
The five-time All-Star made a halfhearted attempt at the claw, the high-five-style gesture the New York Mets have adopted when they reach base. Wright looked more comfortable when he swung, and his two RBI doubles Friday helped beat the Florida Marlins 7-6.
"It's good to be back," he said. "It's good to play the game and have fun doing it."
Wright was activated before the game after being sidelined since May 16 with a back injury. He doubled home the Mets' first run in the first inning, then put them ahead to stay with a run-scoring double in the eighth. Wright also scored twice.
While he was on the disabled list, the Mets took to the stiff-armed claw, and Wright gave it a try for the first time.
"I don't want to do it, but they're kind of making me," he said. "I feel a little awkward doing it. But it feels good to compete. You miss that. Competing on this level is an adrenaline rush, and when you do well, you get excited. That's what that was."
As Wright spoke at his locker, teammate Jose Reyes chided him for a feeble claw.
But the Mets had no other complaints about Wright's return.
"He's a huge part of this team," manager Terry Collins said. "To have him come back tonight and contribute right out of the gate is a huge lift. Our guys have been battling all summer, and David has been wanting to be a part of it, and tonight he was a huge part of it."
Daniel Murphy drove in two runs with a single and a double for the Mets. Reyes had two hits to keep his NL-leading average at .349.
Florida's Emilio Bonifacio extended his hitting streak to 21 games and later scored from first on a single. But he and Steve Cishek committed errors that helped the Mets score two unearned runs.
Mike Stanton hit his 21st homer and Gaby Sanchez hit his 14th for the Marlins, but they went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position. Florida starter Chris Volstad allowed four runs, three earned, in five innings.
The seesaw Marlins fell to 0-4 on their homestand after winning nine of the previous 10 games. They're 21-30 at home this season.
New York's Mike Pelfrey twice failed to hold the lead. He allowed four runs in six innings and has only one victory over Florida in 15 career starts.
The right-hander gave up both homers and has allowed 18 this season.
"That has been a big problem for me this year, and it didn't get any better tonight," Pelfrey said. "They were mistakes, and I paid for them."
Wright put the Mets ahead for good with a one-out double in the eighth off Edward Mujica (8-3). Murphy followed with a run-scoring double.
Florida closed to 7-6 on a broken-bat RBI single by Greg Dobbs in the eighth, but Bobby Parnell (3-1) struck out Bonifacio with the potential tying run at third.
"I was happy the way the guys rebounded being down two or three times," Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. "We had golden opportunities to take the lead, but we just couldn't get the key hit."
Jason Isringhausen pitched the game's only 1-2-3 inning in the ninth for his second save since the departure of closer Francisco Rodriguez.
The crowd of 21,304 included a large contingent of Mets fans, and Wright received a big ovation when he stepped to the plate in the first inning. He responded with an RBI double.
"He definitely makes our team a lot better," Pelfrey said.
Murphy followed with a run-scoring single, and Angel Pagan hit a sacrifice fly to put the Mets up 3-0. In the first four games of the Marlins' homestand, they've been outscored 12-1 in the first inning.
Third baseman Bonifacio bobbled a grounder for an error in the fourth that led to an unearned run, which scored on Carlos Beltran's bad-hop single. That put New York up 4-3.
After Sanchez homered, the Mets regained the lead on Ronny Paulino's sacrifice fly, which brought home an unearned run in the seventh.
Notes: Mets OF Jason Bay (right hamstring) missed his second game in a row, but is expected back by Sunday, Collins said. ... With the trade deadline approaching, McKeon said, "I don't see any of our guys getting traded."
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