By MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK(AP) -- Carlos Beltran came oh-so close to hitting a
go-ahead grand slam in his long-awaited return to the New York
Mets' lineup.

Hanley Ramirez and Cameron Maybin left no doubt when they
connected for the Florida Marlins.

Thanks to mammoth two-run homers from Ramirez and Maybin, the
Marlins kept up their surprising playoff push Tuesday night with
a 4-2 victory over the Mets.

"We know we have to win every day, but we don't try to put a lot
of pressure on us," Ramirez said. "We stay in the race. That's
all it's about."

Florida overcame an early exit by injured starter Rick
VandenHurk and remained six games behind first-place
Philadelphia in the NL East. The Marlins, who opened the season
with a major league-low $37 million payroll, are 5 1/2 behind
Colorado for the NL wild card.

Beltran was back in the Mets' lineup after missing 70 games, and
he brought a sparse crowd to its feet in the seventh inning. His
bases-loaded drive to right field was caught a step or two in
front of the fence by Cody Ross, preserving Florida's 4-2 lead.

"I just got under that one," Beltran said. "Today I felt like a
kid in the playground, like when I take my daughter to the
playground. She's having fun and that's how I felt today. I felt
good."

Matt Lindstrom worked a perfect eighth and Leo Nunez got three
quick outs for his 19th save, bouncing back from a miserable
outing in Washington. The right-hander threw five pitches Sunday
and gave up two homers, allowing the lowly Nationals to rally
from three runs down for a 5-4 victory.

"He did a nice job. Closers, they've got to have short-term
memories. He seems to do that," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez
said. "I thought he pitched today. I thought he did a nice job
pitching instead of just throwing. Hopefully he can get better
and better."

Brian Sanches (4-1) tossed two scoreless innings for the win.
VandenHurk left with a 4-1 lead after the fourth because of a
stiff back. He is day to day.

"Just some tightness. I'll be fine," VandenHurk said. "I'm
pretty sure it's not going to be anything serious."

Sidelined since June 22 with a bone bruise on his right knee,
Beltran was activated from the disabled list before the game and
finished 1 for 4 with a fly-ball double to left. He also made a
smooth, sliding catch in center.

"It will probably take him a few games to really find his rhythm
at the plate," manager Jerry Manuel said. "I think once that
starts he will get on track, so to speak. He looked pretty
good."

Trailing by two, New York tried to rally against Sanches in the
seventh. Three singles loaded the bases for David Wright, who
struck out. Beltran's long fly left the Mets 4 for 55 (.073)
with the bases loaded and two outs this season.

"When he hit it, I thought he got it," Sanches said. "My first
thought was that it was going to hit our hotel."

New York was 34-33 when Beltran went down, only two games out of
first place in the NL East. Also missing Jose Reyes and Carlos
Delgado for the entire stretch, the Mets went 28-42 without
Beltran and fell to fourth place.

Even with Beltran batting behind him for the first time in 2 1/2
months, Wright had a terrible night. He struck out twice,
grounded into an inning-ending double play and stranded five
runners. He made an error at third base and botched another
grounder that was ruled a hit.

Ramirez, the NL's leading hitter, drove a pitch from Tim Redding
(2-5) to left in the third. The shot appeared to clip the bottom
of a sign that hangs from the facade of the second deck.

Maybin connected off Redding in the fourth after Ross' double, a
drive that sailed over the home run apple nestled behind the 408
sign on the center-field fence.

It was the third career homer for Florida's prized outfield
prospect - and first since he was recalled from Triple-A New
Orleans on Aug. 31.

"I don't think we've even seen half the stuff he can do,"
Gonzalez said.

Rookie catcher Josh Thole hit a sacrifice fly for the Mets in
the fourth, his first major league RBI. Angel Pagan tripled in
the fifth and scored on Luis Castillo's infield single.

NOTES: Florida leadoff batter Chris Coghlan went 0 for 4 with a
walk, ending his 14-game hitting streak. ... Pagan has nine
triples, all since July 11.