Tylor Megill strikes out five, Hayden Senger blasts HR in Mets' tie with Nationals

The Mets scored three runs early and added two more in the seventh inning to tie the Washington Nationals, 5-5, in their third-to-last spring training game on Saturday afternoon.

Here are the takeaways…

– Tylor Megill took the mound for the fourth and final time this spring, continuing to fight for a spot in the starting rotation. The right-hander made quick work of the Nationals, opening the game with back-to-back 1-2-3 innings. Megill let up a leadoff single in the top of the third inning, but got some help from Luisangel Acuña and Francisco Lindor on a double play, and closed the frame with a strikeout.

– Megill got into a little trouble in the fourth inning with runners on second and third base, but escaped the jam by striking out Alex Call for the third out. Megill found himself in a similar situation in the fifth inning after a walk, fielding error by Mark Vientos, and sac bunt gave the Nats runners on second and third. James Wood took advantage of the opportunity and drove in a run on a single, cutting the Mets’ lead to 3-1. Megill struck out Amed Rosario for the second out and then chaos ensued, as the Mets executed a 2-6-3-2 putout to end the inning.

He allowed another leadoff single in the top of the sixth inning, and after his fifth strikeout, let up an RBI single to Keibert Ruiz, making it a 3-2 game. That would be the last batter Megill faced, as he finished the day after 5.1 IP, allowing three earned runs on six hits with five strikeouts, and two walks over 88 pitches.

– The Mets got to LHP MacKenzie Gore early, as Juan Soto walked, Pete Alonso singled, and Brandon Nimmo drove in a run on a ground-rule double. Vientos tacked on another run with a sacrifice fly and Jesse Winker made it a 3-0 game with an RBI single.

– RHP TJ Shook replaced Megill in the top of the sixth and got the second out quickly before more trouble ensued. A wild pitch, single, walk, and double from Jacob Young gave Washington a 5-3 lead. Shook got Wood to ground out to stop the bleeding after 22 pitches.

– A.J. Minter entered the game in the seventh and tossed a quick 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout, needing only 10 pitches.

– Hayden Senger, who looks to secure the backup catching job behind Luis Torrens, hit his first home run of spring training in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Mets trailed, 5-4. Lindor stayed in the game after some of the starters were pulled and delivered an RBI single to tie the game up at 5-5.

Who was the game MVP?

Nimmo, who finished the day 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. He’s hitting .250 over 20 ABs this spring.

Highlights

What’s next

The Mets play their penultimate spring training game on Sunday against the Miami Marlins at 1:10 p.m.

Griffin Canning is expected to take the mound at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie.

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