Delgado's 23rd homer helps Perez, Mets top Marlins
MIAMI --Carlos Delgado hit a two-run homer and Oliver Perez pitched six innings for his first victory in a month as the New York Mets beat the Florida Marlins 4-1 on Tuesday night.
Florida totaled only six hits and fell two games behind the NL East leaders. Second-place Philadelphia won and remained a half-game back.
The Mets were nursing a one-run lead in the eighth inning when cleanup hitter Delgado faked a bunt, then hit his 23rd homer three pitches later. Nick Evans had two hits and scored New York's first two runs.
Perez (7-6), who left with a 2-1 lead, earned his first victory since June 29. He allowed five hits and walked three but shut out Florida over his final 5 1-3 innings.
Scott Olsen (6-6) gave up six hits and two runs in 5 2-3 innings.
The Mets led 2-1 in the eighth when Delgado batted against Renyel Pinto with a runner on, no outs and three infielders shifted to the right side. Delgado -- who has never had a sacrifice bunt -- squared on the first pitch and took a ball. He pulled a 2-2 pitch for the homer.
David Wright walked ahead of Delgado and scored in his 13th consecutive game, breaking Carlos Beltran's team record set in 2006.
New York snapped a 1-all tie with a run in the sixth. Evans singled, took second on a walk to Delgado and scored on Beltran's two-out single.
Perez stranded two runners in the sixth. Aaron Heilman escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the seventh, then struck out the side in the eighth.
Billy Wagner pitched a perfect ninth for his 27th save in 33 chances. He has allowed one hit and no runs in his past 10 innings.
The Mets opened the game with three consecutive doubles but managed to score only once. Jose Reyes tried to stretch his hit into a triple and was thrown out by left fielder Josh Willingham. Evans doubled and scored on a double by Wright, but Olsen retired the next three batters.
Olsen didn't give up another hit until Evans' one-out single in the sixth.
Florida scored in the first on consecutive two-out doubles by Jorge Cantu and Willingham.
Notes:@ The Mets improved to 21-11 against left-handed starters. ... Reyes swiped second in the seventh for the Mets' 100th stolen base, most in the NL. ... The Marlins struck out 11 times, increasing their major league-leading total. 