Beltran is man of the hour for Mets

MIAMI -- The New York Mets were one strike from defeat before Carlos Beltran came through with the big hit that had eluded them all night.

Beltran hit a grand slam with two out in the ninth inning against Kevin Gregg, giving the Mets a 5-4 win over the Florida Marlins.

Before Beltran’s homer, the Mets were one for seven with runners in scoring position. Trailing, 2-1, they left the bases loaded in the seventh and stranded two in the eighth.

“We didn’t score early, but we scored when the team needed it the most,” Beltran said.

Gregg retired the first two batters in the ninth, and New York was down to its final strike when Luis Castillo singled on a 1-and-2 pitch. David Wright also singled, and Carlos Delgado was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Beltran.