"Javier Vazquez wanted to throw fastballs and induce contact. He wondered why John Buck kept calling for breaking pitches. After Vazquez struck out Lucas Duda to end the sixth, it became apparent.

Unbeknownst to Vazquez, when Duda swung through a 2-2 changeup he became the 30th pitcher in major league history to reach the 2,500-plateau.

"I don't know if you guys are going to believe me or not, but I didn't know I was close to 2,500," Vazquez said. "When I got to the dugout, the guys were, 'Congratulations, congratulations,' and I'm like, 'Good, thank you. Why?'"

It was a happy occasion all around for a Marlins team in serious need of them. Shut out through six innings in the wake of totaling two runs in the Mets' doubleheader sweep Monday, the Marlins broke through in the seventh and won 6-0 at Citi Field Tuesday.

Perhaps more important to Vazquez than his strikeout milestone was logging career win No. 160. He hadn't won since July 27 at Washington in spite of some stellar performances.

Vazquez since a June 16 start against the Phillies has been among the National League's most effective pitchers. He can boast a 2.44 ERA with 16 walks and 79 strikeouts over his last 88 2/3 innings, but only a 5-5 record."