MIAMI — Sean West pitched six impressive innings Tuesday night, lifting the Florida Marlins to a 2-1 victory over an injury-battered New York Mets team shaken by the loss of ace Johan Santana for the season.
West (5-5) gave up six hits and three walks to outpitch Santana's replacement Nelson Figueroa (1-3), for the Marlins, began Tuesday 5 games behind Colorado for the NL wild card after a 2-4 road trip.
Ross Gload hit an RBI single in the fifth, and Leo Nunez recorded his 13th save in 17 chances for Florida.
The only bright spot on a day of bad news for the Mets was Jeff Francoeur, who had two doubles after tearing a ligament in his left thumb over the weekend.
Santana will undergo season-ending surgery for bone chips in his left elbow, and reliever J.J. Putz was also shut down for the season with a slight tear in his right forearm.
Santana, a two-time Cy Young winner, is only the latest blow to a Mets team that's been shattered by injuries. New York has 12 players on the disabled list in a season that now seems lost.
If that wasn't enough, the announcements came on the same day New York traded reliever Billy Wagner to Boston for two players to be named. The Mets tried to salvage the day with a win, but the game only brought a reminder of how little pop they have left.
Francoeur lined a double to right field in the fourth that Jeremy Hermida misjudged. Hermida started running in and then quickly backpedaled, failing to even get a glove on a ball that should have been caught.
Fernando Tatis followed with a single that scored Francoeur to give New York a 1-0 lead. But the Mets gave the run back with mistakes of their own.
After Hanley Ramirez was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the inning, a fielding error by first baseman Daniel Murphy allowed John Baker to reach safely and Ramirez went to third on Murphy's throwing error. Ramirez would score on a fielder's choice by Dan Uggla to tie the game.
Before the Marlins took the lead with Gload's RBI single, the Mets loaded the bases in the fifth but couldn't capitalize. West got Francoeur to pop out and struck out Tatis.
NOTES: Marlins 1B Nick Johnson (right hamstring) will likely be placed on the DL after a jogging session was cut short Tuesday because of pain in his leg. Johnson has not played since Aug. 16. He was acquired from Washington in a trade-deadline deal. ... Mets LF Gary Sheffield left the game in the seventh with a cramp in his lower back, the team said. Sheffield walked and called time out while at first base between pitches before he was replaced. ... Baker, the Marlins' C, was replaced in the sixth with a stiff back, the team said.