NEW YORK (AP) - Giancarlo Stanton was surprised to see someone besides Matt Harvey on the mound for the New York Mets. Not that the Miami slugger let a last-minute pitching change affect his success at Citi Field.
Shortly after Harvey was suspended by the Mets and scratched from his start, Stanton hit a pair of monstrous home runs off fill-in Adam Wilk to lead the Marlins to a 7-0 victory Sunday.
Harvey was penalized three days without pay for an undisclosed violation of team rules. The Marlins learned of the move at 11:45 a.m. and had little to no time to prepare for the replacement.
“Nothing about him before today,” Stanton said. “Just saw a little bit of film and some tendencies, but that’s really about it.”
Wilk (0-1) was brought up from Triple-A Las Vegas on short notice and little sleep. He made several stops on his way to New York and took an overnight flight, arriving at the ballpark straight from the airport around 8:45 a.m.
It was his first appearance in the majors since pitching one game for the Angels in 2015 - before that, his previous time in the big leagues was 2012 with Detroit.
The 29-year-old lefty was no match for the prodigious power of Stanton, whose 20 home runs at Citi Field are the most at any visiting ballpark by a player since 2011. Wilk allowed six runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.
“In a situation like that, I just kind of have to go out there and pitch the best I can with my strengths,” Wilk said. “I don’t think the pitches were terrible, but I also didn’t make them to what we were trying to do.”
Said Mets manager Terry Collins: “Pretty tough situation to put him in, but it’s what we had to do.”
Stanton hit a three-run homer in the first off the facing of the upper deck in left. In the third, he launched a solo shot off the glass window of the Porsche Grille, measured at 468 feet for his 10th homer of the year. It was the 21st multihomer game for Stanton, including six at Citi Field.
“The atmosphere’s always fun,” he said. “You’ve got to play well. Otherwise you’re going to get heckled in the outfield.”
Making his first start of the year while Edinson Volquez recovers from a blister problem, Jose Urena (1-0) and three relievers combined on a one-hitter as the Marlins snapped a three-game losing streak. Rene Rivera led off the sixth inning with a clean single against Urena, but the Mets were shut out for the first time this season.
“At this point, we’ve been treading water and feeling like we’ve been sinking a little bit,” Miami manager Don Mattingly said. “At some point, we’ve got to start putting games together. You’ve got to start somewhere, so today was a good start.”
Urena struck out two, walked one and needed only 63 pitches to complete six innings.
Adeiny Hechavarria also homered for the Marlins.
SCHEDULE QUIRK
Monday’s matchup with San Francisco will be the first game against a team outside the NL East for the Mets this season. The team began 2017 with 30 consecutive intradivision games, going 14-16.
MOVING PARTS
Marlins RHP Odrisamer Despaigne was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans before the game. Relief pitcher Brian Ellington was recalled.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: 3B Martin Prado, who entered the game for Miguel Rojas (right thumb soreness), was removed with right hamstring discomfort after going first to third on a double. Prado opened the season on the 10-day disabled list after straining the same hamstring during the World Baseball Classic. “Same hamstring, different spot,” Mattingly said. Both Prado and Rojas are day-to-day.
Mets: An MRI showed no ligament damage for SS Asdrubal Cabrera. He’s day-to-day with a sprained left thumb. . 1B Lucas Duda (hyperextended left elbow) went 0 for 4 as the designated hitter for Class A St. Lucie.
UP NEXT
Marlins: Begin a nine-game homestand Monday night with a three-game series vs. St. Louis. Adam Conley (2-2, 6.12 ERA) opposes Cardinals ace Carlos Martinez (1-3, 3.75) in the opener.
Mets: San Francisco arrives to open a three-game series Monday night. Jacob deGrom (2-1, 3.68) starts for the Mets against Matt Moore (1-4, 6.75).
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