NEW YORK -- The Miami Marlins lost star pitcher Jose Fernandez to a serious elbow injury five weeks into the season and star slugger Giancarlo Stanton with 2 1/2 weeks to go. [url=http://www.thecubsteamshop.com/Cubs-Mike-Montgomery-Kids-Jersey/]Mi ke Montgomery Jersey[/url] . Yet by beating the New Yo

NEW YORK -- The Miami Marlins lost star pitcher Jose Fernandez to a serious elbow injury five weeks into the season and star slugger Giancarlo Stanton with 2 1/2 weeks to go. Mike Montgomery Jersey . Yet by beating the New York Mets 4-3 Wednesday night, they improved to 74-77 with 11 games remaining and have given themselves chance to avoid a sixth straight losing season. "This team is obviously headed in the right direction under our baseball department and Mike Redmond," team president David Samson said. "Thats all any team can hope for, is to be getting better. And this was clearly a step up this year." Henderson Alvarez (11-6) ended a three-start winless streak, allowing two runs and eight hits in six innings. Steve Cishek pitched his second perfect ninth of the series for his 37th save in 41 chances. "That would be huge for us, no doubt, to get to .500," said Redmond, the Marlins second-year manager. Miami completed a trying 5-5 trip. Before the game, the team said Stantons season was over. The NL home run leader was hit in the face by a fastball from Milwaukees Mike Fiers last Thursday and sustained facial fractures, concussion symptoms, dental damage, cuts that required stitches and two black eyes. "An emotional trip for us, losing G and all that we went through," Redmond said. "Guys are beat up. Theyre banged up. Theyre emotionally on tilt." But the Marlins took two of three from the Mets with small ball: 30 of their 35 hits in the series were singles. "We need to finish the season strong," second baseman Donovan Solano said. "The last two seasons were not good for us. We know now how we need to win games. So I think that weve done a good job." Wearing their bright orange alternate jerseys, the Marlins built a 3-0 lead in the first two innings against Dillon Gee (7-8) and held on to open a two-game lead over the Mets for third place in the NL East. Gee gave up four runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings. He entered with a scoreless streak of 16 1-3 innings against the Marlins but threw a run-scoring wild pitch in the first and allowed Garrett Jones run-scoring hit on a squib that went 30 feet toward third base. Solanos RBI single made it 3-0 in the second. Gee stroked a single into centre in the fifth, prompting teammates to wave towels and stand and applaud in the dugout. He had been 0 for 35 this year and was hitless in 41 at-bats since singling off Miamis Tom Koehler on Sept. 15 last year, Lucas Duda hit a two-run single, just the sixth hit for the Mets in 63 at-bats this year with the bases loaded and two outs. Wilmer Flores followed with a fly that Marcell Ozuna caught with a leap against the wall in left-centre. Christian Yelich restored a two-run lead with an RBI double off Josh Edgin in the seventh, and Curtis Granderson hit a run-scoring grounder against Chris Hatcher in the eighth. New York (73-80) dropped nine games back for the NLs second wild card with nine games left, on the brink of elimination. The Mets must go 8-1 to avoid a sixth straight losing season, one shy of the franchise record. A more achievable goal would be overtaking the Marlins or perhaps Atlanta (76-76), where the Mets open a three-game series Friday. "It would be a tremendous accomplishment," manager Terry Collins said, "especially where were sitting right now with guys going down right and left around here." WEB GEMS Adeiny Hechavarria ranged deep into the shortstop hotel to get Flores second-inning grounder and while falling made a sidearm throw to second for the forceout on Duda. Right fielder Reed Johnson then grabbed Grandersons bloop on a short hop and threw to second in time to force Flores, who had held up because he was unsure whether the ball would be caught. TRAINERS ROOM Mets CF Juan Lagares will be sidelined for a few days after spraining his right elbow Wednesday. UP NEXT Marlins LHP Brad Hand is to start Thursdays homestand opener against NL East champion Washington, which goes with RHP Doug Fister (14-6). Mets RHP Zack Wheeler (10-10) starts Friday, and the Braves plan to start RHP Julio Teheran (13-12). Yu Darvish Cubs Jersey . Cox started the season with San Francisco, but was released by the team on Nov. 12 before being signed by Seattle, where he appeared in two games and tallied three tackles before being released on Dec. Kyle Hendricks Cubs Jersey . -- Billy Andrade hasnt played much competitive golf over the past four years. http://www.thecubsteamshop.com/Cubs-Kyle-Schwarber-Kids-Jersey/ .com) - Rakeem Christmas scored 21 points, B.TSN Radio is the official radio partner of the 2015 World Junior Championship. Listen to every second of action involving Team Canada, as Elliott Price and Jack Miller provide play-by-play coverage, with Jim Tatti and former NHLer and Team Canada Olympian, Todd Hlushko hosting pre- and post-game shows. Preliminary Round Games Date Matchup Time (ET) Station Friday, Dec. 26 Canada vs. Slovakia 8pm TSN Radio Saturday, Dec. 27 Canada vs. Germany 8pm TSN Radio Monday, Dec. 29 Canada vs. Finland 8pm TSN Radio Wednesday, Dec. 31 Canada vs. United States 4pm TSN Radio Medal Round Date Matchup Time (ET) Station Friday, Jan. Javier Baez Jersey. 2 Quarter-Final 3pm TSN Radio Friday, Jan. 2 Quarter-Final* 8pm TSN Radio Sunday, Jan. 4 Semifinal 4pm TSN Radio Sunday, Jan. 4 Semifinal** 8pm TSN Radio Monday, Jan. 5 Bronze Medal Game*** 4pm TSN Radio Monday, Jan. 5 Gold Medal Game 8pm TSN Radio *Team Canadas QF game if they qualify **Team Canadas SF game if they qualify ***Only carrying if Canada appears ' ' '