Game Recap: Nimmo Reaches Three Times in Mets Loss to Astros, 6-3

On Monday afternoon, the New York Mets were defeated by the Houston Astros by a score of 6-3 at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. (Box Score)

Brandon Nimmo started in center field, and he went 3-for-4 with an RBI, two singles, and a double. Devin Mesoraco got the start behind the plate, and he also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles.

Pitching

Jason Vargas continued his spring success with a solid start against the Houston Astros this afternoon. He needed just ten pitches to retire Tony Kemp, Jake Marisnick, and Yuli Gurriel in order in the bottom of the first.

Michael Brantley led off the bottom of the second with a single, and after a Tyler White strikeout, Josh Reddick lined a ground rule double to right. However, Vargas was able to retire the next two batters, including a Nick Stassi strikeout, to strand a pair in scoring position.

Vargas kept cruising in this one, as he struck out Alex De Goti in a perfect bottom of the third. In the fourth he worked around a Brantley one out single, and rolled a 6-4-3 double play to end his day.

In total, Vargas threw 51 pitches while allowing three hits and striking out three over four shutout innings. He now hasn’t allowed a run since the first batter he faced, and this spring he has a 1.08 ERA.

Seth Lugo was the first man on in relief, and he needed just five pitches to work through an easy bottom of the fifth.

Luis Avilan worked the sixth inning, and four straight one out singles from Kemp, Reddick, Gurriel, and Yordan Alvarez resulted in a pair Astros runs, cutting the Mets lead to 3-2. He was able to settle down, and eventually struck out Kyler Tucker to end the inning.

Nick Tanielu smacked a leadoff game-tying home run to left off of Jacob Rhame in the bottom of the seventh. Rhame bounced back to strike out De Gotti and Derek Fisher, ending the inning.

Rhame then struggled in his second inning of work. After a Myles Straw double and Abraham Toro single, he walked Alvarez to load the bases. He then struck out Reed on three pitches, but Tucker lined a two run double to give the Astros a 5-3 lead.

After Eric Hanhold replaced Rhame, Tanielu reached on a fielder’s choice to increase the Astros lead to 6-3. Handhold was then able to roll a double play ball, and get himself out of the inning.

Hitting

Pete Alonso continued his torrid spring, smacking a slider to left center for a leadoff double in the top of the second. He advanced to third on a Danny Espinosa fly out, and a batter later scored the first run of the game on a Gregor Blanco RBI triple.

Blanco then came in to score as Devin Mesoraco lined an RBI double to right center, making it 2-0 Mets. After Amed Rosario reached on an error to put runners on the corners, Brandon Nimmo poked a single the other way to make it 3-0 Mets.

Nimmo reached for the second time as he received a generous hop and doubled off the first base bag with one out in the top of the fourth.

Mesoraco lined his second double of the game down the left field line with one out in the top of the sixth. After Rosario struck out looking, Nimmo poked an opposite field single for his third hit of the game. However, Jeff McNeil grounded out to strand them there.

Michael Conforto lined his first hit of the day, a one out single in the top of the seventh before leaving for a pinch runner.

The Mets put two on with two out in the top of the eighth after Adeiny Hechavarria singled and Braxton Lee drew a walk, however J.D. Davis struck out to end the inning.