By Tara Kyle
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — A five-year streak of victorious opening days came to a close for the New York Mets Friday night, thanks to a grand slam off the bat of catcher John Buck in a 6-2 loss to the Florida Marlins in Miami.
The homer came in the bottom of the fourth inning, after a walk to Marlins left fielder Logan Morrison loaded the bases.
Mets pitcher Mike Pelfrey had two strikes on Buck, before the catcher fouled off several balls and then finally connected with a shot out of the yard.
"I kept battling, and so did he," Pelfrey told the New York Post.
Meanwhile, Mets batters struggled against Marlins ace Josh Johnson, who had a no-hitter going through six innings.
"He was awfully good tonight," Mets third baseman David Wright told the Post.
In fact Johnson, whose 2010 season was cut short due to back and shoulder problems, maintained a no-hitter until outfielder Willie Harris hit a double in the seventh inning.
"He throws everything hard: his fastball, his cutter, his change-up," Harris said to the Post. "You have to be awfully good to beat him when he's pitching like that."
