MIAMI — Juan Lagares needed a few games getting reacquainted to the leadoff spot, but was every bit the part for the Mets on Tuesday.
The dazzling center fielder, whose specialty is saving the Mets with his glove, used his bat and legs in leading an 8-6 victory over the Marlins.
Lagares reached base five times in a 4-for-4 performance and stole two bases, continuing to refine what the organization hopes will be another dimension to his game.
In his last five games Lagares has stolen five bases, increasing his total to nine for the season.
“I feel like I can run and I want to take advantage,” Lagares said. “That’s an amazing game. First off we got a win and my first four-hit game, it’s just exciting.”
For now, manager Terry Collins and his coaching staff are “picking spots” for Lagares on the bases. Eventually, the Mets will remove the training wheels and set him completely free to steal bases.
“I have to keep working and be consistent — know the pitcher and know the pitches and there are a lot of little things that go into it,” said Lagares, who had a cameo in the leadoff spot earlier in the season before returning to the spot last week. “You try to know the pitchers.”
The Mets (65-74) had a rare feast offensively, amassing 16 hits against Brad Penny and the Marlins bullpen.
Giancarlo Stanton’s towering two-run homer in the third off Jon Niese pulled the Marlins within 4-3 before the Mets launched a three-run attack in the fourth to regain momentum.
David Wright’s second double of the game — he doubled in the second to snap a streak of 84 plate appearances without an extra-base hit — gave the Mets a 6-3 lead before Lucas Duda’s single added another run. Lagares’ RBI single accounted for the inning’s first run.
Before the game, Collins saw no reason to address his players about their atrocious showing a day earlier, but he acknowledged the team’s performance reflected poorly on him.
The Mets committed six errors in that loss, one short of the franchise record for a nine-inning game.
“We’re accountable for every time we play,” Collins said when asked if he was concerned his team’s performance reflected on him. “The games we did really good, we were there for those, too. We are there when things are bad and when things are good. Yeah, it reflects on you. When you’re the manager, it comes with the territory.”
Collins, no slam dunk to return for 2015, probably can’t afford many more showings that resemble Monday’s.
Wright said he doesn’t buy into the notion Collins was responsible for the team’s sluggish play.
“It happens, especially with a young team,” Wright said. “Errors are ugly, especially because sometimes in that department when it rains it pours.”
Collins pointed to the statistics package on his desk for all the evidence he needs the Mets are a sound club defensively. The Mets entered play with a .983 fielding percentage, which tied them for 10th in the National League.
“We don’t make a lot of errors and [Monday] was a game we made a lot of errors and looked bad,” Collins said. “I’ll take all the responsibility for it.You can put those errors next to my name. I made a few in my time, not many of them, but a few.”
Dilson Herrera, receiving an audition at second base, had three errors in his first four games since arriving from Double-A Binghamton, but did not commit one Tuesday.
Collins said Herrera’s defense was never a concern in the minor leagues.
“You’ve got to cut him a little slack because these fields are a lot different than what he’s used to playing on,” Collins said. “Once he understands that these are fast infields, gets used to a whole new pitching staff or guys around him getting the balls, and how quickly he’s got to make adjustments defensively, I think he’s going to be fine.”