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Fish Over Mets, 6-3

The Marlins are in a playoff race. And boy, is it fun.

Thursday, Sep 10, 2009 | Updated 8:00 AM EST

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Good game, Ricky Nolasco.

Cody Ross slumped into a cozy chair in the visiting clubhouse and, with many of his Florida teammates, watched the ninth inning of the NL East-leading Philadelphia's game.

No matter the first bus back to the hotel was leaving in 20 minutes, the Marlins are in a playoff race. And boy, is it fun.

Ross hit a three-run homer in a four-run first inning, Ricky Nolasco shut down the Mets into the seventh and the bargain-basement Marlins kept pace in the division with a 6-3 victory over the New York Mets.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't look up there after every out in every inning. I just look up there and see what's going on," Ross said of scoreboard watching. "I know (the Phillies) tied it up, that they were up by two, and I knew right before we made the final out they were up by one. I mean you got a lot of time on your hands in the outfield.

"All that doesn't matter if we're not doing our own business," he said before tuning into the end of the Phillies' 6-5 win that kept their six-game lead in the division in tact.

Dan Uggla homered and Nick Johnson had a long RBI double as Florida, with a majors-low $37 million payroll, took their second straight from New York.

The past two Septembers, Florida played a big role in the Mets' late-season collapses. This season, the Marlins are chasing a playoff spot. They entered Wednesday 51/2 games behind Colorado in the wild-card race.

Nolasco (11-8) gave up a leadoff hit to Angel Pagan then didn't give up another hit until Pagan doubled with two outs in the sixth. In between, Nolasco induced nine groundballs and two flyouts.

"He kept us off balance and did a great job," New York's Jeff Francoeur said.

Nolasco faltered in the seventh, walking David Wright to start the inning. Carlos Beltran singled, then Daniel Murphy hit an RBI double. Nolasco was removed after Francoeur's sacrifice fly. Another run scored on a groundout.

Leo Nunez worked a perfect ninth for his second save of the series and 20th of the season.