Adrian Houser looks dialed in as Mets fall to Tigers, 3-2
The Mets fell to the Detroit Tigers 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at Clover Park.
Here are some key takeaways...
- Adrian Houser came out of the gates strong, striking out three of the first five batters he faced while needing just 20 pitches to get through the first two innings.
Houser had a great afternoon, going 3.1 perfect innings while striking out five Tigers. Everyone in the Mets' rotation will need to step up with Kodai Senga unavailable to start the season, and Houser certainly looked ready to do his part on Sunday.
- Pete Alonso came within feet of his third home run of the spring in the bottom of the first inning, smashing a double off the left-field wall. On a warmer day, the ball likely would have traveled well over the fence, but the wind knocked the ball down, resulting in the two-bagger.
Alonso went 1-for-3 and is hitting .318 this spring.
- While Alonso was a victim of the wind, Mark Vientos was a beneficiary of it. In the bottom of the second, Vientos lofted a high fly ball to right, and it just kept carrying and carrying until it landed over the wall for Vientos’ second home run of the spring.
Vientos went 1-for-2 and is hitting .222 this spring.
- The Mets are hoping that Jorge Lopez can have a bounce-back season after struggling in 2023, but he let a one-run lead slip away in the seventh, thanks to a leadoff double by Riley Greene, who later came around to score.
Later in the inning, Lopez nearly allowed the Tigers to take the lead, but a double out of the reach of Ben Gamel in right center bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double. Fortunately for the Mets, that held runners at second and third, and Lopez was able to get out of the inning with the game still tied.
Lopez was an All-Star with Baltimore in 2022, and the Mets hope that he can round back into form.
- Shintaro Fujinami's second spring appearance didn't go as smoothly as his first, but the defense behind him wasn't the best. Fujinami allowed a leadoff single, and that runner would come around to score after Zack Short bobbled a potential double-play ball at second base.
Later in the inning, Bligh Madris doubled to right, and Trayce Thompson's throw back into the infield got away, allowing another Detroit run to score.
Fujinami recorded two outs, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits with one walk and one strikeout. He threw 25 pitches before being pulled.
- With the Mets down to their last strike, Tomas Nido tagged a solo home run to right field. NIdo went with a high fastball and lifted a line drive over the wall in right.
Nido is likely on the outside looking in when it comes to the MLB roster, but he showed off some pop on Sunday.
Highlights
Upcoming schedule
The Mets host the Miami Marlins on Monday night at 6:10 p.m.
Tylor Megill gets the start, with Edwin Diaz also scheduled to make his spring debut.
