Mets bounce back to defeat the Marlins 14-6

The New York Mets ended their four game winless streak and beat up the Miami Marlins 14-6 at First Data Field. The victory improved the team’s spring training record to 2-3-1.

Steven Matz made his first Grapefruit League debut for the Mets and looked good while tossing 32 pitches in two innings. After an easy first inning, Matz allowed a home run to Lewis Brinson to lead off the second inning. He recovered to retire the next two batters, but a Gavin Cecchini error — one of two on the afternoon and four total for the Mets — helped prolong the inning. After a Bryan Holaday single, Matz was able to retire J.T. Riddle to complete his afternoon. He allowed three hits and one earned run while striking out three.

The majority of the team’s offense came in the second and eighth innings, when the Mets put up five and seven runs, respectively. Amed Rosario had a big game for the Mets, picking up two hard-hit doubles in the first two innings and driving in two runs. He now has four hits in nine spring training at-bats. J.D. Davis also contributed three hits, including a solo home run in the second, and drove in four runs on the afternoon.

• The Mets got the scoring started in the first inning. After a Rosario leadoff double and a Davis single put runners on first and third, Keon Broxton laid down a squeeze bunt up the first base line that brought Rosario home to make it 1-0.
• Walker Lockett, who started the team’s first spring training game on Saturday, was the first Met out of the pen today. His outing felt eerily similar to Matz’s, as he cruised through the third inning but allowed a leadoff homer to Brinson in the fourth. With two outs, Cecchini made his second error of the afternoon to extended Lockett’s outing. In all, he allowed just the one hit and one earned run while walking one and striking out three Marlins in two innings of work.
• Robinson Cano went 1-for-3 with a run-scoring single in the fourth to increase the team’s lead to 7-2. Following the hit, Mickey Callaway inserted Dilson Herrera as a pinch runner.
• Paul Sewald entered in the fifth inning and allowed a solo home run to Isan Diaz.
• Anthony Kay struggled in his one inning of work, as he was tagged for three earned runs on three hits and two walks in the sixth. Cecchini also misplayed a ground ball to third that went under his glove. The play was officially ruled a single and drove in the fourth Marlins run of the game.
• The Mets’ bullpen allowed just one baserunner over the final three innings on a Sam Haggerty eighth inning error. Arquimedes Caminero, Ryan O’Rourke, and Tim Peterson combined for three scoreless innings of relief to close out the game.
• Danny Espinosa added a three-run home run in the eighth to put the game out of reach.

Full box score: MLB.com