Mike Pelfrey's third start of the spring did not go as he planned. From that point on, the Marlins just kept tacking on more and more runs, as the Marlins topped the Mets by a score of 12-4.
Pelfrey's first two innings of the game were a breeze, and started the third inning off nicely. Pelfrey allowed 7 hits, 7 earned runs, walked 4, hit a batter, and struck out 3. Pelf left the game with the bases loaded in the 4th inning, and Scott Schoeneweis allowed a bases clearing triple to Jorge Cantu. Schoe ended up pitching 1 2-3, allowing 2 hits while striking out three.
Just a terrible 2 innings from Pelfrey. When it looked as though he could lock up the 5th spot with a good start and El Duque staying injured, he shoots himself in the foot with this debacle.
Schoe gave up the double, which allowed 3 more to get tagged on to Pelfrey's line, but not much else.
Joe Smith had his spring struggles continue, allowing 1 run on 2 hits and a walk. Duaner Sanchez pitched for the first time in a week, walking his third batter and striking out one.
Smith had the bases loaded and only allowed the one run to score. It doesn't look like "The Man" is going to make the team. Dirty looked pretty comfortable and claimed he felt "like 2006."
Brian Stokes pitched the 8th inning, allowing one hit and striking out one. Steven "Cash" Register struggled mightily for the first time this spring, only lasting 2-3 of an inning, giving up 5 hits and 4 earned runs. Register tallied one strikeout. Ruddy Lugo came on to finish out the game and only needed one pitch to end the inning.
Register, who is still my dark horse to make the team if Sanchez still struggles with shoulder issues, stumbled for the first time. He had 4 innings of scoreless baseball under his belt before today's miserable inning.
The Mets saw a ton of their regulars returning to the lineup today, with Ryan Church, Endy Chavez, Damion Easley and Brian Schneider getting into the starting nine.
Church delivered, going 2-2, with two roped singles to right field. Chavez added a single, going 1-3 with a run scored.
Great to see Church, who is still sporting a black eye, back after the big collision.
Easley and Schneider each went deep for the Mets. Schneider put the first Mets run on the board with a solo home run to right field in the second inning. Easley drove in 2 with a home run in the 6th inning.
Schneider flashing a bat, very nice. Easley still seemed to favor his ankle as he rounded the bases, but seemed to be alright.
Argenis Reyes continued his shot streak, going 2-4, with a solo home run in the sixth after picking up 3 hits the day before.
We have 3 Reyes' on the team. This is craziness.
The Mets unbeaten streak in March was snapped at six. Isn't it interesting that when the Mets get the regulars back in the lineup, they lose?
