The Mets pounded out 10 hits and added seven walks en route to a 7-3 win over the Miami Marlins on Saturday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, FL.
Here are the takeaways…
-Batting leadoff, Luisangel Acuña started things off for New York by showing off his wheels and beating out an infield single in the top of the first inning. It was his only hit of the night and just his third of the spring as things haven’t exactly clicked offensively for the youngster who is batting .158 in 19 at-bats.
-Defensively, having played three positions already during spring training, the versatile Acuña was at shortstop on Saturday and made both plays that came his way with ease. In the bottom of the first inning, the 22-year-old began a double play that proved helpful for David Peterson who gave up a double against the next batter. Acuña also came in on a slow roller in the second inning and threw a strike to first for the out.
-The big bat of the night belonged to who else but Juan Soto who finished 3-for-3 on the night to increase his spring training average to .400. He drove in Acuña in the first inning with an opposite-field double on the first pitch he saw that hit off the wall to give the Mets a quick 1-0 lead.
The right-fielder added a single in the third inning on again the first pitch, but was thrown out at second for trying to stretch it into a double. Following his third hit leading off the sixth inning, Soto was replaced by pinch-runner Jose Azocar. Soto’s spring OPS is now 1.338.
-Peterson got the ball on Saturday for the second time this spring but his first start and the lefty pitched well once again. After three scoreless innings in relief against Miami on March 3, Peterson went four scoreless innings against the Marlins this time around. Despite allowing just one hit, the 29-year-old was a bit erratic, walking two and hitting a batter, although he did add a pair of strikeouts.
He also increased his pitch count since his last outing by 10, throwing 47 pitches (28 strikes).
-Despite an 0-for-3 night at the plate, catcher Luis Torrens threw out a runner at second base with a perfect strike to end the third inning as he did so often last season.
-Meanwhile, Jose Siri and Joey Meneses continued their solid first impressions with their new club. Siri had a sac fly in the first inning for his eighth RBI and added two walks and a stolen base (his second) while Meneses clubbed a line-drive home run (his first) to left field in the fifth inning that extended New York’s lead and worked a walk, too.
-The Mets scored three times in a busy sixth inning with the biggest hit coming off the bat of Brett Baty whose offense has not slowed down at all this spring. The former top prospect now has a 1.152 OPS after launching a towering two-run double off the wall in center field that gave New York a 5-0 advantage. Baty finished 1-for-4 and scored a run as his chances to make the Opening Day roster grow by the day.
–Danny Young was the first reliever out of the bullpen and pitched a clean inning while Austin Warren wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam in his scoreless inning.
–Jose Ureña made his first appearance for New York since signing a minor league deal and allowed two unearned runs following an error. The right-hander should’ve had a 1-2-3 inning, but after the error he uncorked a wild pitch, let up a sac fly and allowed two hits to put Miami on the board.
Highlights
What’s next
The Mets return home to Port St. Lucie to host the Washington Nationals on Sunday afternoon at Clover Park. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m.
Clay Holmes will make his third outing of the spring as the right-hander looks to continue his dominant start with his new club.
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