Josh Thole was the offensive hero of the early going, with a long, opposite-field RBI double in the second inning and a run-scoring single in the fourth. The Mets got two more runs that inning on a bases-loaded error and an errant throw to the plate that probably should have gone for an error, but didn't. (Hey, it's spring training for the official scorers, too.) Then David Wright took advantage of a tiring Livan Hernandez and turned on a hanging curve for a grand slam, his first longball of the spring. It's been far too long since I saw Wright go yard, and it caused a strange emotion. I think it's called joy?
Not much else to report offensively for the Metropolitans, although Daniel Murphy did have a multihit game. Some bloops and misplayed balls led to another run for the B-Mets in the bottom of the 8th.
Mike Pelfrey, meanwhile, looked not terrible for once in his six innings of work. Granted, he was facing an Astros lineup that may have been pulled off the street, for all I know. (I watched this entire game and could not name you two Houston players not named Livan Hernandez if you put a gun to my head.) Still, he issued no walks, scattered three hits, and set the down the side in order in the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings, a decided step up from his previous spring starts.
The bullpen continued Pelfrey's stingy ways. Daniel Herrera (who's looking more and more likely to make the Opening Day roster, regardless of Tim Byrdak's readiness) retired the Astros 1-2-3 in the 7th. Jon Rauch--in need of a good outing almost as much as Pelf--threw a perfect 8th. Josh Edgin allowed threw the ninth and allowed a two-out triple, but nought else.
Tomorrow, the Mets make another trip to Jupiter to take on Carlos Beltran and the Cardinals. (That will never not feel weird to say/type.) Just six spring training games left before the real ones, folks.