A split-squad New York Mets team lost to the Washington Nationals, 2-1, in Port St. Lucie, FL today. The Mets managed only three hits in the Grapefruit League contest.

Pitching

Rafael Montero began his day by issuing a walk to Nationals’ shortstop Trea Turner. He followed that up by allowing a double to Howie Kendrick and the Nats immediately jumped out to a 1-0 lead. He then got Ryan Zimmerman to line-out, induced a Matt Wieters fly-out, and struck out Michael Taylor looking to finish the first inning on a strong note.

Montero began the second by giving up another double, this time to Nats’ left-fielder Andrew Stevenson. After setting down Chris Dominguez on a well-hit ball to Juan Lagares (making his first start of the spring), Jose Lobaton threw out Stevenson trying to steal third and Montero struck out Moises Sierra to escape the inning unscathed.

Hansel Robles got the call in the third and the first batter he faced was none other than our old friend, Matt Reynolds. Robles struck him out, walked Trea Turner, and then got Kendrick to ground into a 5-4-3 double-play.

Robles came back out for the fourth inning and gave up the Nats’ third double of the day, this time to third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. He settled down, once again, and put down Wieters, Taylor, and Stevenson, leaving Zimmerman on second base. This was a much better outing for the Mets’ 27-year-old than his first two ST appearances (2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER).

Jacob Rhame got the call in the fifth and set down Dominguez and Sierra before allowing a hit to Matt Reynolds. He then got Turner to fly out, avoiding any trouble. MMO’s own Jacob Resnick was at the game and said Rhame hit 97 MPH on the gun twice.

Matt Purke pitched the sixth inning. Purke, 27, signed to a minor-league deal with the Mets this past offseason and in his first ST appearance got Kendrick and Nats’ prospect Taylor Gushue to both ground-out before giving up a single to Matt Wieters. He then got Michael Taylor to fly out to end the inning.

Marcos Molina pitched the seventh for the Mets. The 22-year-old (3.92 ERA for Double-A Binghamton last year) gave up a home run to Nats’ prospect Victor Robles to lead off the inning. Jose Marmolejos reached base on Gavin Cecchini‘s throwing error, then Molina got Kelvin Gutierrez, Reid Brignac, and Rafael Bautista in order to close out the inning.

Molina came back out for the eighth and allowed a lead-off single to Alejandro De Aza. He then got Taylor Gushue to ground out into a 4-6-3 double-play. Molina finished his afternoon by getting Nats’ prospect Osvaldo Abreu to ground out.

Drew Smith, the player the Mets received from the Tampa Bay Rays in the Lucas Duda deal last July, pitched a perfect ninth inning in his third appearance of the spring.

Offense 

The Nats trotted out three-time Cy Young Award-winner Max Scherzer to start the game. He proceeded to set down the Jose Reyes, Jay Bruce, and Adrian Gonzalez in order.

To begin his second inning of work, Scherzer squared-off against an unlikely counterpart in Mets’ farmhand, Tim Tebow. He struck him out. The 33-year-old then retired Amed Rosario (back in action today) and Juan Lagares in his first at-bat of the Grapefruit League to finish his second perfect inning of work.

Scherzer struck out Jose Lobaton to lead off the bottom-half of the third, then got Matt den Dekker swinging, and completed his day by striking out David Thompson to finish with 3 IP with no hits and no walks.

Adrian Gonzalez and Tim Tebow (yes, Tim Tebow) had back-to-back two-out base-hits off of Erick Fedde in the bottom of the fourth inning. After both moved up on a Fedde wild pitch, Amed Rosario had the chance to knock in two Mets runs but grounded out to end the inning.

Juan Lagares made his spring debut, he went 0 for 1 with a ground out and caught one ball in center.

Gavin Cecchini hit his second home run of the spring, a solo shot off of Nats’ pitcher Chris Smith, to lead-off the bottom of the ninth, cutting Washington’s lead to 2-1.

Matt den Dekker had the defensively play of the day robbing Rafael Bautista of a home run in left field.

On Deck

The split-squad Mets play the Houston Astros in West Palm, FL tonight at 6:05 PM. The game will be streamed live on MLB.TV (subscription may be required).

The Mets also will be visiting Jupiter, FL tomorrow to face the Marlins at 1:05 PM. Saturyday’s game will not be televised.