Niese solid but gets little support as Mets fall to Marlins

A cold wind started to blow through Citi Field last night, as if the elements were trying to tell the Mets something.

Remember the mild temperatures and good feelings from Opening Day? Well, the mercury dipped quickly Thursday night and the Mets' offense went into a deep freeze in a 3-1 loss to the Marlins in the rubber match of the season-opening series.

And in what the team hopes is not a foreshadowing of chillier times to come, the Mets suffered their first in-season injury of 2010 when Luis Castillo was counted out of tonight's lineup with a strained right calf.

Hope will be on its way Friday when Jose Reyes rejoins the team from Florida. Reyes went 0-for-4 in his final minor-league rehab game last night and should be activated Saturday - good news for a team that looks as if it needs a spark.

"It's a big lift both on the field and in the clubhouse," said David Wright, whose first-inning blast to rightfield Monday remains the team's only home run. "He brings a lot of energy, a lot of excitement and enthusiasm to this team. That starts in the clubhouse. It's going to be good to see him. Obviously, we want him on the field as soon as possible."

The Mets managed only seven hits against Florida lefthander Nate Robertson and two relievers. Jeff Francoeur doubled home Jason Bay in the fourth inning for their only run.

Mets third-base coach Chip Hale got so excited waving Bay home that he tumbled onto the grass while trying to avoid umpire Laz Diaz. No wonder Hale was pumped: Francoeur's double was the Mets' lone extra- base hit of the night.

"We're going to have some challenges here," said manager Jerry Manuel, who went with an all-righthanded top eight against Robertson, giving Angel Pagan, Fernando Tatis and rookie Ruben Tejada their first starts of the season.

"I think what we need is a couple of guys to get hot at the same time. It's difficult to go without that and try to continually scratch runs. We've just got to get a couple of guys going offensively."

Jonathon Niese would agree with that. Neise was good enough to win a lot of games. Unfortunately for the Mets, this wasn't one of them.

He allowed three runs in six innings, but the Mets supported him only with pats on the back and kind words. Niese - Manuel's surprise No. 3 starter in a move announced on the last day of March - gave up eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

Niese treaded carefully through Florida's righthanded-heavy lineup with a low-90s fastball, a curveball and a changeup. Pitching in a 1-1 game in the fifth, he had enough stuff and deception to fire a 91-mph pitch past Hanley Ramirez for a strikeout, which is no easy feat.

But the next batter, Jorge Cantu, clubbed an RBI double one-hop to the 415-foot sign in right-centerfield to give Florida a 2-1 lead. The Marlins made it 3-1 in the sixth when Gaby Sanchez doubled over the head of rightfielder Francoeur to drive in Ronny Paulino, who had singled to lead off the inning.

When Leo Nuñez struck out Gary Matthews Jr. for the final out, the Mets fell below .500 for the first time this season.

Manuel, well aware he likely needs a fast start to keep his job, said he won't begin to really evaluate the team's opening stretch until about 20 games or so.

Said Wright: "It's three games. Of course, everybody wants to get off to a quick start. Record-wise, it's important for us, and obviously, so we don't have to answer these kinds of questions, it's important."