Mets 3, Marlins 2: Bell Toils, Kirk Boils, Mets Roll

The Mets couldn't get much offense going all game. Ricky Nolasco was dealing, with five strikeouts against six baserunners in seven innings.

Sure, Kirk Nieuwenhuis had a defense-aided triple and scored in the first when Ruben Tejada hit a sac fly. But after that, the Mets went down 1-2-3 three times and only got a baserunner as far as second once there were two outs. Lucas Duda struck out twice and didn't get a hit. Daniel Murphy went hitless. And Nolasco scattered the hits that David Wright, Josh Thole and Ike Davis managed.

But then came that ninth inning. Heath Bell -- former Mets farmhand and current Rod Beck for the Marlins -- couldn't find the plate. His curve bounced on the ground, his fastballs brought his catcher to his knees and to his feet, and he walked the bases loaded. So his pitching coach came out and told him to scrap the curve with Justin Turner at the plate with one out and the bases loaded. 13 pitches later, despite starting off with an 0-2 count, Turner coaxed a walk to tie the game.

It took eight pitches for Scott Hairston to ground out to first. That brought Nieuwenhuis to the plate.. for a walkoff hit on a 1-0 count. Bookends for Captain Kirk!