MIAMI (AP) - Mike Cameron hit a two-run double in the ninth to send the game into extra innings, but clutch hits were hard to come by for the Florida Marlins and it cost them.

The Marlins left 16 men on base in a 7-4 loss to the New York Mets in 12 innings.

``We held in, battled,' Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. ``Couldn't get the key hit. We had the opportunity.'

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The Marlins were 3 for 13 with runners on base and were unable to take advantage of three errors by the Mets including a crucial one in the 11th by David Wright, who dropped a pop-up that put two runners in scoring position, but Donnie Murphy struck out to end the inning.

``Sixteen on base again,' McKeon said. ``We had chances in the early innings, bases loaded and one out two times, couldn't dent the plate.'

The Mets walked the bases loaded with one out in the fourth and eighth, but escaped both jams without allowing a run.

Meanwhile, when New York needed a run, Nick Evans delivered.

Evans had three go-ahead base hits including one in the 12th inning to lift the Mets to a win.

``To be honest, he's got something to prove,' Mets manager Terry Collins said. ``You can't get designated as many times as he's been designated in the last couple of years and not have something to prove. He's taken this opportunity to show us he can hit.'

Jose Reyes, Justin Turner, Angel Pagan, and Evans each had three hits for the Mets, who gave up a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Evans, who is looking to make a statement in the final month, also delivered go-ahead RBI singles in the sixth and eighth.

``There's still 25 games left in the season,' Evans said. ``I've been playing for 12 so I still got a long way to go before I can exhale coming into spring training.'

Jose Ceda (0-1) gave up three straight hits to begin the 12th, including Evan's soft liner to center to score Pagan. Later in the inning, Reyes hit an RBI single and Lucas Duda drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Mets a 7-4 lead.

Ryota Igarashi (4-1) struck out the only batter he faced.

Josh Stinson, the Mets' eighth pitcher, pitched a perfect inning to record his first career save.

``It was exciting, glad to get that one out of the way,' Stinson said. ``Three games, got two of the big ones out of the way-first strikeout and first save.'

Not too many of the announced crowd of 22,318 stuck around for the finish of a game that lasted 4 hours, 29 minutes after the start of the game was delayed 1:14 due to rain.

With the Mets leading 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Bobby Parnell allowed a single to Greg Dobbs and a two-out walk to Logan Morrison. Mike Cameron then doubled off the left-center wall as both runners scored to tie the score. Murphy also struck out to end the ninth. It was Parnell's fourth blown save in nine chances.

Evans singled in the eighth to give the Mets a 3-2 lead and Pagan doubled off first baseman Gaby Sanchez's glove in the ninth for another run.

Dobbs had three hits and drove in two runs.

Mets starter Miguel Batista allowed one run and five hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked four.

Chris Volstad, who has not won since July 10, pitched six innings and allowed two runs for the Marlins.

``It was a pretty crazy game, back and forth, a battle,' Volstad said.

NOTES: A black cat scampered in front of the Marlins dugout and jumped into the stands in the eighth inning with the Mets batting. ... Marlins INF Matt Dominguez made his major league debut in the 10th when he was hit by a pitch. ... Marlins CF Mike Cameron left the game in the 11th inning with a tight hamstring and is considered day-to-day. ... Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez, who has not played since Aug. 2, will have season-ending shoulder surgery on Sept. 15. ... Wednesday's game between the two clubs was moved up two hours to a 5:10 start to accommodate the Mets doubleheader on Thursday against the Braves. The Mets will send RHP R.A. Dickey to the mound. He is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in two games at Sun Life Stadium. Florida will counter with LHP Brad Hand.