The Mets tied the Miami Marlins, 3-3, on Sunday in their final spring training game.
Here are the takeaways…
– Justin Verlander got the start for his final tune-up before the regular season, and allowed back-to-back singles in the first. Verlander then settled in and got a strikeout and forced a ground ball up the middle Jeff McNeil turned the inning-ending double-play. The veteran continued to make his way through the Miami lineup, escaping the second and third innings with two more inning-ending double-plays.
Verlander let up an RBI triple to Troy Johnston in the fourth and then gave up a sacrifice fly as the Marlins took a 2-1 lead. Verlander got hit in the leg by a ground ball, the second time it happened during the game, but stayed in and then gave up an RBI single to make it a 3-1 game. He luckily escaped the bases loaded jam by getting a ground out to end the fourth. Verlander allowed a leadoff single in the fifth, but then got a strikeout and catcher Omar Narvaez threw the runner out at second.
– The 40-year-old day’s ended after 95 pitches (55 strikes) over 5.0 IP as he allowed three runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and four walks.
– Brandon Nimmo singled with two outs in the third and Starling Marte drove him in from first on a double to left as the Mets took a 1-0 lead.
– Pete Alonso led off the bottom of the fourth with a single and moved up to second on Darin Ruf‘s walk. McNeil grounded into a fielder’s choice, as Ruf was called out at second on the force to give the Mets runners at the corners. Mark Canha drove in Alonso from third on a sacrifice fly as they trailed, 3-2.
– Marte doubled for the second time with two outs in the fifth and Francisco Lindor drove him in to tie the game up at 3-3. Marte finished the game 3-for-3 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored.
– Stephen Nogosek came in for relief and struck out back-to-back Marlins to end the top of the sixth. Tommy Hunter tossed a 1-2-3 seventh inning with two strikeouts and Dennis Santana pitched a 1-2-3 eighth with three quick outs. Grant Hartwig pitched the ninth and issued a one out walk, but got out of it thanks to an inning-ending double-play.
– Ruf struck out with a runner on first to end the eighth, as he went 0-for-3 at the plate with a walk and a strikeout.
Highlights
What’s next
The Mets will begin the regular season on Thursday, March 30 against the Miami Marlins at 4:10 pm on SNY.
Max Scherzer will start on Opening Day and is set to face reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara for Miami.