NEW YORK, N.Y. - Several defensive lapses were too much for the New York Mets to overcome.
The Mets wasted a fine performance by Jeremy Hefner when Ruben Tejada's error led to a five-run seventh inning for the Miami Marlins in a 7-5 victory over New York on Friday night, Mike Redmond's first win as a big league manager.
"We're a resilient bunch and we're not ever going to give up," Hefner said. "I was just hoping to keep them close and we did come back, but we just didn't have enough outs."
Hefner (0-1) gave up Greg Dobbs' homer in the second inning 鈥� only the Marlins' second run all season 鈥� and left with the Mets trailing 1-0 after six innings. But Tejada bobbled Donovan Solano's grounder off reliever Greg Burke to start the seventh.
After pinch-hitter Austin Kearns walked to put runners on first and second, Juan Pierre bunted to Burke, who was slow getting off the mound. Still tried for the out at third base. His throw was late and the bases were loaded.
"I heard 'Three,' so I went to three," Burke said. "But in that situation, I probably should've gotten the out, just taken my time and thrown to first for the out."
Placido Polanco then hit a two-run single. The Marlins were 1 for 20 with runners in scoring position this season before the hit. Dobbs added a sacrifice fly, and Justin Ruggiano and Rob Brantly hit consecutive RBI doubles for Miami in the inning to go up 6-0.
Miami's bullpen didn't make it easy for Redmond, though. Chad Qualls gave up a three-run homer to Daniel Murphy in the bottom half of the seventh.
Murphy came up with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth against A.J. Ramos but grounded out to second base.
Then with Miami ahead 7-3 in the ninth, Steve Cishek gave up an RBI double to pinch-hitter Kirk Nieuwenhuis and a run-scoring single to Lucas Duda with one out before finishing off the win.
With the loss, the Mets fell to 2-2 this season.
"We did battle back right there, all the way to the last out," John Buck said. "So you can't feel too deflated with something like that."
Alex Sanabia (1-0) had been absent from the majors since late in the 2011 season. He pitched six shutout innings, working around six hits, three walks and a hit batter.
Sanabia earned his first win since Sept. 22, 2010, against the Mets. He spent all last year at Triple-A and was headed back this season before Nathan Eovaldi and Henderson Alvarez were injured.
"It felt awesome to be back out there on a big league mound. It's been a while," Sanabia said.
Redmond was hired after Ozzie Guillen was let go following a disappointing 69-93 season. Redmond, a member of the Marlins' World Series championship team in 2003, took over a team that lost the likes of Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson since opening day last year.
"Pretty cool, obviously," Redmond said of the win. "I knew it wasn't going to be easy, and it wasn't."
The young Marlins roster looked overmatched in a season-opening series in Washington. To make matters worse, first baseman Casey Kotchman was injured and placed on the disabled list Friday. Redmond had four players with little experience at the position during a workout before batting practice 鈥� the four shared three gloves while fielding grounders.
Dobbs got the start at first and made several nice plays.
NOTES: Redmond, making his first trip to Citi Field, said he missed the Mets' old ballpark. "I miss the smell of old Shea Stadium," he said, politely calling it "stale." ... Duda misjudged Brantly's fly ball to left field in the fourth. Duda took a step in and to the side before racing back. By then the ball was way out of his reach and Brantly had a double. ... Miami recalled C Kyle Skipworth, the No. 6 overall draft pick in 2008 and one behind reigning NL MVP Buster Posey, from Triple-A New Orleans when Kotchman went on the DL. ... Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton doubled in the ninth and is 2 for 14 this season.
