Marlins take series behind another extra-inning win

NEW YORK -- Working overtime is paying off for the Marlins.

After matching their longest game in franchise history on Saturday, the Marlins once again celebrated extra-inning heroics at Citi Field. This time, they prevailed in far fewer innings and hours.

Logan Morrison started a 10th-inning rally with a single and scored the go-ahead run, and Miguel Olivo blasted a two-run homer to lift the Marlins to an 8-4 win over the Mets on Sunday before a stunned crowd of 21,747.

The Marlins' four-run 10th inning punctuated an exhausting two-game set in New York after Friday's rainout.

On Saturday, Miami outlasted New York, 2-1, in 20 innings and six hours and 25 minutes. Combining the two days, the Marlins and Mets played 30 innings in 10 hours.

"Yesterday was a mentally taxing day," said Derek Dietrich, who tied the game with a homer in the eighth inning. "To come out there and concentrate and focus and put good swings on the ball, that's what we did. We got out of here with two more wins. We like playing the Mets, I guess."

The Marlins, 18-44 on the season, are 8-3 against New York.

"This is when you reach down inside and you find out who belongs here and who doesn't, for me," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "There's some learning things that had to take place today. First inning, you've got to learn from that."

The Marlins responded in Morrison's 2013 debut. The 25-year-old first baseman, who had surgery on his right knee last September, opened the season on the 60-day disabled list.

Morrison responded with two hits, a walk and the go-ahead run.

"He was a little shot of energy in the dugout, when after playing 20 innings, let's face it, you need it," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "We needed somebody to energize you and get you fired up. He did that. It was a big hit. It was good to see him out there."

In the 10th inning, Morrison started the rally with a single off Bobby Parnell. Justin Ruggiano followed with a single, and Miami went ahead by a run when Adeiny Hechavarria's grounder to second was misplayed by Daniel Murphy. Morrison scored on the error.

"I'm just trying to get good at-bats, make plays and help the team win," said Morrison, playing in his first big league game since last July 28. "If they feed off it, that's good. I know they had a long one yesterday. If that was my job today, to come in and provide energy, then I'm glad I did it."

Robert Carson replaced Parnell and surrendered a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter, Greg Dobbs. Olivo delivered the crushing blow with his two-run homer.

Olivo, who has had limited playing time, now has four home runs. Like Morrison, the catcher is extremely popular with his teammates.

"I know my teammates are very happy for me," Olivo said. "I've been on the bench for a couple of games. The home run, everybody was able to take a deep breath. Before that, the game was tight. The pitchers just had to come in and make their pitch."

In a non-save situation, Steve Cishek worked a perfect 10th inning, recording two strikeouts.

The Marlins battled back from three down to tie it at four in the eighth inning on Dietrich's home run off Scott Rice. It was Dietrich's fifth homer of the season, and second on the road trip, with the other on Wednesday at Philadelphia. All five of the rookie's home runs have either tied or put the Marlins ahead.

"I think our at-bats got better as the game went on," Dietrich said. "We're starting to play better baseball. It's evident each and every game. I think we all know that. We keep grinding. We keep putting good at-bats together, and good things are happening."

Hechavarria, who provided the decisive RBI single on Saturday, gave the Marlins a 1-0 lead in the second inning with a run-scoring single.

But the Mets quickly responded, pulling even in the second inning on Murphy's leadoff homer to right.

Starter Tom Koehler got into trouble in the third inning, allowing the first three runners to reach, and all three scored.

Juan Lagares singled to start the rally, and the inning compounded itself when Koehler walked Mets starter Jon Niese, who was attempting to sacrifice bunt. Omar Quintanilla's bunt single loaded the bases. With one out, David Wright delivered a two-run double. Murphy added an RBI groundout to give New York a 4-1 cushion.

The Marlins chipped back with two runs, one earned, in the sixth inning. Ed Lucas and Dietrich each singled, and Ozuna ripped a double to right-center. Ozuna was credited with an RBI. Dietrich also scored on the play, and Ozuna advanced to third when Lagares mishandled the ball for an error.

Koehler, a native New Yorker who attended Stony Brook University, settled and gave the team seven innings on a day the bullpen needed a breather.

"We all continued to fight throughout the rest of the game," said the right-hander, who estimated about 100 family and friends were on hand. "It wasn't an easy game for anybody. It was an important game and a big game for us to win."