Mets help playoff chances by beating grieving Marlins
MIAMI - The Marlins walked half a block alongside a hearse carrying their ace away from Marlins Park at the start of a funeral motorcade Wednesday, and then peeled away with watery eyes to go back inside and play a game.
Drained by four days of grieving Jose Fernandez's death, they didn't have much left for the New York Mets.
Jay Bruce hit his 32nd home run, James Loney also homered and the Mets helped their NL wild-card chances by beating Miami 5-2.
New York began the night leading the Giants by half a game and the Cardinals by 1 1/2 games in the race for the two wild-card spots. The Mets conclude the regular season with three games at Philadelphia starting Friday.
The Marlins' loss in their home finale eliminated them from playoff contention. Despite high hopes this year, they still haven't been to the postseason since 2003.
That was the last thing on their minds five hours before first pitch. They wore T-shirts reading ''RIP'' while clustering around the limousine carrying Fernandez's casket to church for a viewing. Spectators, including Mets players and manager Terry Collins, lined the start of the route.
''It was terrible,'' Miami pitcher Tom Koehler said. ''I never thought I'd have to be part of that. You have a 24-year-old who is on top of the world, and we're walking behind his hearse. We're watching Miami's hero drive down the street.''
Added reliever Mike Dunn: ''You felt like you were pushing off your brother.''
Sympathetic as they are, the Mets are also in a tight wild-card race. Loney hit a two-run homer in the second, and Bruce added a two-run homer in the fifth. Curtis Granderson went 4 for 4, and Jose Reyes doubled home a run.
Seth Lugo (5-2) went 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs, both on Martin Prado's eighth homer. Four relievers completed a seven-hitter, and Jeurys Familia pitched a perfect ninth for his 50th save, most in the majors.
Jose Urena (4-9) allowed five runs in five innings, hiking his ERA to 6.13.