MIAMI -- Eager to give himself some run support, New York Mets pitcher Jonathon Niese stepped to the plate with a runner at third and dropped down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt. Custom Seattle Mariners Jerseys . His teammates, meanwhile, swung away -- and connected. Daniel Murphy hit a three-run homer and the Mets matched a season high with 17 hits Sunday to beat the slumping Miami Marlins 11-5. Niese (4-4), who has been plagued by a lack of offensive help this year, won for the first time since May 22 and enjoyed pitching with a big lead. "It was a good feeling," he said. "We hit them hard and hit them early. Its a lot more comfortable going out there, and youre able to pound the zone." Niese allowed less than four earned runs for the 19th consecutive start, giving up three in six innings. "The offence really busted out, and Jonathon did another great job," teammate David Wright said. "Every time he takes the ball, you think hes going to go nine innings, and offensively we havent done a lot to pick him up. Im glad we were able to do that today." Niese -- batting eighth -- drove in a run with a bunt in the second inning. Manager Terry Collins joked that he hadnt called for a suicide squeeze since 2006, and Niese said it might have been the first of his career. "Luckily was able to get a pitch I could put down," Niese said. Kirk Nieuwenhuis scored without a play for a 2-0 lead. "The squeeze was huge," Collins said. "We dont do that much, but I wanted to see if we could get something started, so we tried something different." The bulk of the offence, however, came from higher in the order. Wright drove in a run for the sixth game in a row. Curtis Granderson thrived again in the leadoff spot, reaching base four consecutive times. He and Lucas Duda each had three hits. Murphy had two hits, including his sixth homer. Nieuwenhuis, making his first start since being recalled from Triple-A, doubled twice. "Weve been waiting a long time to break one open," Collins said. "People think we play ugly game. Were getting beat 4-3 and 3-2. Were hanging in there. We get a lot of guys on, we just havent been able to get big hits. When you have big hits, you look great." Rookie Anthony DeSclafani (1-2), making his fourth major league start, gave up seven runs in 3 2-3 innings and departed with a 7.59 ERA. He was unable to keep the ball down or throw breaking pitches for strikes. "I fell behind hitters, and the fastballs were flying up in the zone," he said. "When that happens, youre not going to get the results you want." The Marlins (37-38) fell below .500 for the first time since April 30. Ten days ago they had the best home record in the majors, but they went 3-7 on their longest homestand of the year, losing all three series. "You just have to keeping grinding and stay positive," Garrett Jones said. "Its a long season. Every team runs into this type of thing where the offence isnt clicking and the pitching isnt clicking." The Mets had scored a total of 13 runs in Nieses previous five starts, but he led 7-0 before giving up three runs in the sixth. The left-hander then struck out Derek Dietrich with the bases loaded to end the inning and his afternoon. Nieses performance was part of a trend. Mets starters have an ERA of 1.74 over the past six games. The Mets have won four of their past five, but they still trail NL East leader Washington by five games. "If we keep the starting pitching going and keep the offence going, I think we should climb back in this thing," Niese said. NOTES: Marlins SS Adeiny Hechavarria (elbow) sat out his second game in a row but was feeling better available to pinch-hit. ... Marlins Spanish-language radio announcer Felo Ramirez celebrated his 91st birthday. ... The Mets improved to 16-11 in day games. ... The game drew a crowd of 24,613, plus 605 dogs on "Bark in the Park" day. ... The Mets begin a two-game homestand Tuesday when RHP Bartolo Colon (7-5, 3.88) pitches against Oakland. ... The Marlins begin a four-game series at Philadelphia on Monday when RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-3, 3.76) pitches against RHP Roberto Hernandez (3-5, 4.52). Mariners Jerseys China . The Swiss won on the fastest run-time tiebreaker after the four-racer teams tied 2-2. Wendy Holdener and Reto Schmidiger won their final heats against Julia Mancuso and Tim Jitloff, respectively. Seattle Mariners Shirts . "I wasnt waving the pom-poms to be involved with it to start with," Carlyle said after a 5-2 win over Carolina on Sunday night. "Its been a trying time. "Specifically we havent played as well as wed like to hang our hat on. https://www.cheapmariners.com/ . And yet as they left TD Garden amid the slush and snow of a winter storm on Thursday evening, there was a sense among the Leafs that they had finally stood toe to toe with their long-time bully, only to fall just short.Lexington, KY (SportsNetwork.com) - Fan voting to determine the 16th annual NTRA Moment of the Year has begun. The winning moment of 2014 will be revealed the morning of Jan. 16 at the annual ThoroFan Awards Breakfast at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The NTRA Moment of the Year is about a singular event, whereas The Eclipse Awards recognize entire campaigns across many months, said Keith Chamblin, NTRA Senior Vice President. Fans deserve a voice, too, and this is their opportunity to tell us what they will never forget from an extraordinary year for racing. Last years winning Moment was Mucho Macho Mans nose victory over Will Take Charge in the $5 million Breeders Cup Classic. Here are the 10 nominated moments from 2014: Seven-year-old gelding Game On Dude wins the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap by 13/4 lengths, becoming the first three-time winner in the Big Caps rich 77- year history. (occurred March 8) With his victory aboard We Miss Artie in the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park, Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez becomes the first North American rider to surpass $300 million in career earnings. (March 22) California Chrome wins the 140th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in front of a crowd of 164,906, second-largest in Derby history. He becomes the first horse bred in the Golden State to wear the garland of roses since Decidedly in 1962. It is the second Derby victory for jockey Victor Espinoza and first for Art Sherman, who became the oldest Derby-winning trainer at 77. (May 3) California Chromes quest to become racings first Triple Crown winner in 36 years falls short as the heavy favorite dead-heats for fourth behind winner Tonalist in the 146th Belmont Stakes. The third-largest crowd in Belmont history, 102,199, watches the drama unfold, while another 20.6 million viewers, the second-highest Belmont viewership on rrecord, tune in on NBC. Fake Mariners Jerseys. In the aftermath co-owner Steve Coburn tells NBCs Kenny Rice that the result is a cowards way out, a sound bite that is replayed countless times in mainstream media. (June 7) Trainer Jimmy Jerkens saddles the top two finishers in the $1 million Travers, with V.E. Day besting stablemate Wicked Strong in the Mid-Summer Derby at Saratoga Race Course. (August 23) Two-time defending Horse of the Year Wise Dan returns after more than two months of recovery from emergency colic surgery to win the Grade II Bernard Baruch at Saratoga Race Course with John Velazquez up. (August 30) Track announcer Tom Durkin calls the final race of his illustrious 43-year career at Saratoga Race Course. Following the featured Spinaway Stakes - in which Condo Commando was splash-tastic! - Durkin is treated to a long standing ovation and an emotional retirement ceremony in the winners circle, coverage of which makes the front page of The New York Times. (August 31) Two-time Horse of the Year Cigar dies at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital from complications following surgery for severe osteoarthritis in his neck. The popular member of racings Hall of Fame, who once won 16 consecutive races, had resided at the Kentucky Horse Parks Hall of Champions since his retirement in 1999. (October 7) Jockey Rosie Napravnik announces her retirement and pregnancy live on NBC Sports after winning the $2 million Longines Breeders Cup Distaff aboard Untapable. (October 31) Bayern survives a tense inquiry into bumping at the start to win a controversial running of the $5 million Breeders Cup Classic, the first Classic win for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, owner Kaleem Shah and jockey Martin Garcia. (November 1) The winning moment will also be recognized at the 44th Annual Eclipse Awards at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, Jan. 17. ' ' '