"The Marlins Get your Marlins Tickets now! were the subject of national ridicule for their handling of the manager situation. Wednesday, the reason for the national ridicule was their handling of the baseball.

They subjected an ESPN audience and 19,232 fans that waited out an 80-minute rain delay at Hiram Bithorn Stadium to a four-error performance. The Mets overcame 17 Marlins hits for the 6-5 victory and salvaged the final game of the San Juan Series.

"We played terrible tonight, but our pitching did a great job to keep us in the ballgame," second baseman Dan Uggla said.

With two outs and none on in the eighth, Chris Coghlan singled and Gaby Sanchez doubled him in to make it a one-run game. Pinch-hitter Wes Helms came in for Jorge Cantu with two on and lifted a first-pitch fly to center off closer Francisco Rodriguez.

Cantu, who committed two of the Marlins' errors, complained of heat-related dizziness since the fourth inning and was not well enough to bat in the eighth. Manager Edwin Rodriguez said he expects Cantu to be in Friday's starting lineup.

The Marlins put the tying run on second with one out in the ninth, but Rodriguez got Mike Stanton to ground into a fielder's choice and struck out pinch-hitter Brian Barden to end it."