Using a strong pitching performance that only allowed six hits, the New York Mets defeated the Detroit Tigers, 7-1 at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland. The win puts the Mets over .500 for the spring at 4-3-1. Box Score

The star of the day was undoubtedly starter Jacob deGrom. The 2018 Cy Young award winner pitched three innings yielding one hit, striking out four, throwing 39 pitches in his second spring start. He lowered his Grapefruit League ERA, which was 9.00 after his first start, to 2.25. His true grit showed in the third inning after allowing a lead-off double to Mikie Mahtook,  which could have been run down by Tim Tebow for an out, deGrom proceeded to strikeout the next three batters.

The Mets slammed three home runs in the game starting with an Amed Rosario blast on the second pitch of the game. Devin Mesoraco and Dario Pizzano also homered for New York. Dominic Smith continued his strong spring with two more hits and a walk in three at-bats. This spring Smith is five for eight with three walks.

Pitching

After pitching just one-inning and throwing 17 pitches in his first start of the spring, Jacob deGrom went three innings today and threw 39 pitches. He allowed only one hit while striking out four. He was overpowering in his outing.

Robert Gsellman came in to pitch the fourth and fifth innings and allowed a single in each frame. He struck out one in his effective outing.

The third Mets’ pitcher was Seth Lugo, who pitched a strong 1-2-3 sixth inning.

Daniel Zamora came on in the seventh and yielded Detroit’s only run, a one-out home run to Ronny Rodriguez. Other than that blemish, Zamora pitched well, striking out two in the frame.

Eric Hanhold pitched the eighth for the Mets allowing only a single to Jake Rogers.

P.J. Conlon finished things off for New York in the ninth, pitching around a lead-off double by Victor Reyes. Overall, it was an excellent performance by the six pitchers the Mets used giving up only six hits and not allowing a single walk.

Offense

The Mets scored in each of the first four innings to give them a comfortable 6-0 lead. Rosario led off the game with a homer to left center off of Tigers’ starter Tyson Ross to get the Mets on the board early. Singles by Smith and Rymer Liriano and a hit-by-pitch to Tim Tebow loaded the bases, but the Mets could not score further.

In the second, New York scored two runs without a hit. Walks to Gavin Cecchini and Arismendy Alcantara began the inning, with Cecchini stealing third to put runners on the corners. With Rosario at the plate, Ross uncorked a wild-pitch to score Cecchini. Andres Gimenez bounced into a double play that plated their second run of the inning to give the Mets a 3-0 lead.

Mesoraco hit a solo shot to left-center off of  the Tigers’ second pitcher of the day, Joe Jimenez to extend the Mets lead to 4-0.

In the fourth inning, the Mets scored a pair of runs off of the third Tiger pitcher of the day, Reed Garrett. RBI singles by Gimenez and Smith gave the Mets a 6-0 lead.

The Mets final run off the day came in the eighth inning courtesy of Columbia graduate Dario Pizzano as he stroked a solo homer off of Detroit reliever Louis Coleman. It was the Amazins’ third home run of the contest.

Smith is now 5-for-8 with three walks and no strikeouts this spring, he told Rich Coutinho of MMO after the game about his opportunity to make the team:

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On Deck

The Mets return to Port St. Lucie to play the Houston Astros on Saturday. Noah Syndergaard will start for New York. Perhaps the bigger news is that off-season acquisition Edwin Diaz is scheduled to make his season debut. The Astros will counter with Justin Verlander. First pitch at First Data Field is scheduled for 1:10 PM. It will be televised on WPIX and broadcast on WCBS-88o.