Delgado, Murphy power Mets past Marlins

New York Mets' Carlos Delgado hits a two run home run against the Florida Marlins during the first inning of their baseball game at Shea Stadium in New York, Saturday, Aug. 9 2008. (AP Photo/Ed Betz)

NEW YORK—Carlos Delgado hit a mammoth home run, Daniel Murphy added the first of his big league career and the New York Mets scratched out an 8-6 victory over Florida on Saturday night, pushing the Marlins further back in the NL East.

Carlos Beltran homered and drove in three runs, David Wright had three hits and the Mets kept pace a game behind division-leading Philadelphia. The Marlins dropped 2 1/2 back after losing for the third time in four games.

Jorge Cantu hit a two-run homer, the Marlins' first in a season-long five games, and Mike Jacobs added a tying two-run shot in the sixth. But the Mets quickly regained the lead and Scott Schoeneweis (2-2) and the bullpen hung on before Aaron Heilman finished for his second save.

Jacobs finished 3-for-3 with a walk and added a run-scoring double in the eighth.

The Mets got a pair of singles from Fernando Tatis and Damion Easley to open their half of the sixth, and Robinson Cancel dribbled a grounder to Hanley Ramirez. The All-Star shortstop never looked at Tatis heading home from third, instead getting slow-moving Cancel at first base.

The fielding blunder didn't make much difference.

Batting in place of pitcher Brian Stokes, the hot-hitting Murphy drove a pitch from Renyel Pinto just over the left-field wall to give the Mets a 7-4 lead. It was the young outfielder's 10th hit in 19 at-bats since getting called up from Triple-A New Orleans a week ago.

Beltran added his 16th homer in the seventh, a deep shot to center for his third hit of the night.

Stokes was called up from New Orleans to make a spot start in place of John Maine, but also may have earned a job in the New York bullpen come September. He gave up four runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings, and also contributed his first major league hit in his first at-bat.

The Mets provided their starting pitcher an early cushion for the second straight night.

Nick Evans lined a one-out single in the first and Wright doubled into the left-field corner, before Beltran drove them both in with another double to left. Delgado then belted an 0-2 pitch from Scott Olsen (6-7) an estimated 445 feet over the signs beyond the right-field wall.

It was Delgado's 25th home run and his 14th in the last 37 games.

Stokes began cracking in the third when Ramirez blooped a double down the right-field line and Cantu knocked a 1-2 pitch over the left-field wall. It was Cantu's 20th homer of the season, making the Marlins infield -- Dan Uggla, Jacobs, Ramirez and Cantu -- the first from a National League team to get at least 20 home runs from each player.

Making use of an effective slider, Stokes breezed through the next two innings and was poised to leave with the lead. He had two outs with a man aboard in the sixth when Jacobs drove a 2-2 pitch out to right, knotting the game 4-all.

Olsen was battered for five runs and nine hits in 5-plus innings. The Marlins' starter and has just two wins in his last 17 games.

Notes:@ OF Ryan Church took BP and was scheduled to leave for the Mets' training complex in Florida. He hopes to begin a rehab stint next week. ... Marlins OF Cody Ross got the night off. ... The Mets optioned RHP Ruddy Lugo to New Orleans to make room for Stokes. They also transferred RHP Tony Armas Jr. (strained abdominal) to the 60-day DL.