METS 8, MARLINS 2
at Jupiter, Fla.
Friday, March 14

Marlins at the plate: Hanley Ramirez opened the first with a double and moved to third on an error, but he was stranded on the basepaths. John Maine then held the Marlins hitless until Ramirez's single in the third. Jorge Cantu added a single in the fourth and an RBI single in the eighth. Robert Andino also added an eighth-inning RBI hit.

Mets at the plate: Carlos Beltran had a double and single, setting up two big innings. Robinson Cancel had a big day with two singles, a double and two RBIs. His two-base hit triggered a four-run second inning where the Mets batted around. Cancel, Argenis Reyes and Endy Chavez each had RBI singles in the frame, while Anderson Hernandez lifted an RBI sacrifice fly. In the third, the Mets scored three more runs. Beltran and Carlos Delgado each singled, Cancel delivered an RBI single and Hernandez lofted his second sacrifice fly.

Marlins on the mound: Ricky Nolasco, in contention for a rotation spot, had a rough time, giving up six runs and seven hits with two walks and a strikeout in two-plus innings. He threw 54 pitches, 28 for strikes. Prospect Burke Badenhop, a sleeper to win a job in the rotation, threw four scoreless innings of relief, striking out four while yielding three hits. A sinkerball pitcher, Badenhop induced six groundball outs, while rolling up 58 pitches.

Mets on the mound: Maine made his fourth start, and he had a stellar five-scoreless innings outing. Coupled with his last outing, Maine has strung together nine shutout innings. He struck out six and scattered three hits. Maine stretched out to 75 pitches, with 45 for strikes. Lefty reliever Scott Schoeneweis tossed one inning of one-hit ball, with two strikeouts.

Grapefruit League records: Marlins 12-7-1, Mets 10-6-1.

Mets up next: The twin Mets will be playing Saturday when the Cardinals come to Port St. Lucie, Fla. Luis Castillo and Johan Santana, teammates with the Twins as recently as July, are to be on the field together as Mets for the first time. Castillo is to make his first appearance in an exhibition game, and Santana is to make his fourth start in the 1:10 p.m. ET game to be carried on MLB.TV. Adam Wainwright will get the start for the Cardinals.

Marlins up next: Rick VandenHurk, in the hunt for a rotation spot, is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three Grapefruit League games (two starts). He's logged eight innings and surrendered seven hits. The native of the Netherlands gets the start on Saturday against the Orioles in Jupiter at 1:05 p.m. Baltimore will start Steve Trachsel.