Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Mets’ second spring training game of the season certainly did not go as well as the first. The St. Louis Cardinals jumped on David Peterson with two early home runs at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, FL. They held the lead throughout in a game where each team featured lineups littered with mostly everyday starters and emerged victorious, 6-4. Interestingly enough, the Mets’ starters played six, some even seven innings.
In what was the complete opposite of yesterday, the Mets got behind the eight ball early. Peterson labored through the first inning, as he allowed a three-run home run to Dylan Carlson. He threw 20 pitches and gave up two hits in the first half inning. James McCann and the Mets did respond in the second inning via an opposite field, two-out single. It drove in Pete Alonso who got on via a walk and was advanced to third thanks to a Mark Canha base hit.
The Cardinals responded right back in the third with another home run. This time a solo shot by slugger Paul Goldschmidt. The end of the third inning was also the end of Peterson’s afternoon. He allowed four runs on five hits and two home runs across three innings. He threw 53 pitches. This was his first appearance since June 30th.
Tylor Megill relieved Peterson and looked how he did in his early appearances with New York last season. He pitched three scoreless, allowing only two hits while striking out three. Worth noting, Megill was up to 97 MPH on the radar gun. He averaged 94.6 MPH on his fastball last season. Miguel Castro also made his first spring training appearance. He pitched a one-two-three seventh inning where he struck out one. He largely overpowered the Cardinals’ reserves who entered the game earlier.
Photo by MMO’s Ed Delany
Former Chicago White Sox power hitter Daniel Palka — who went 2-for-2 — slugged a double to right-center. The ball was hit 390 feet but was hindered from leaving the yard due to the wind. This plated baserunners created via a Robinson Canó single and Brett Baty walk. Mets trailed 4-3 going to the eighth.
Sean Reid-Foley (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 24 pitches) entered the game. He gave up a triple, a walk, and then a single resulting in a run. Joe Zanghi pitched the ninth inning and also gave up a run.
Mark Vientos was able to get the Mets back within one on the scoreboard in the bottom part of the eighth. He singled which tallied the Mets’ fourth run of the game. However, this was the last run New York scored as they dropped their second spring training game of the season, 6-4. The Mets are now 1-1 this spring.
Photo by MMO’s Ed Delany
Megill looked very strong in the three innings (2 H, 3 SO) of his first spring training appearance. He looked like the pitcher that he showcased he could be in his first few starts with New York last season. He even hit 97 MPH with his fastball, something he did not do with consistency last year given his 94.6 MPH fastball average. Good to see him looking strong in his first appearance after throwing a lot of innings across three levels last season.
The Mets continue their spring training schedule tomorrow. New York is slated to take on the Miami Marlins at 1:00 PM ET in Jupiter, FL. Max Scherzer is expected to make his Met debut. Other pitches expected to play for the Mets are Colin Holderman, Eric Orze, and Trevor Williams.
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