Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo power Mets to 6-0 victory over the Marlins

The New York Mets won their first Grapefruit League game since March 13 as they defeated the Miami Marlins 6-0 at First Data Field. The win put an end to Miami’s 11-game winning streak. The Mets have five games remaining before kicking off the regular season next Thursday in Washington D.C.

Steven Matz tossed five scoreless innings before leaving with no outs and a runner on first in the fifth inning. Matz was able to overcome a high pitch count early on and pitch around some trouble — the Marlins put runners in scoring position in the first, third, and fourth, but could not score — before finishing his afternoon with 80 pitches. Matz allowed six hits but did not walk a batter and stuck out three. Tyler Bashlor relieved Matz and was able to escape the inning unharmed.

Against left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, Michael Conforto hit a towering two-run home run to right field in the second inning for his fifth long ball of the spring. It was Conforto’s fourth consecutive Grapefruit League game with a home run and moved him ahead of Pete Alonso for the team lead in home runs. Later in the inning, Brandon Nimmo joined the fun with a three-run home run of his own to score Jeff McNeil and Amed Rosario and complete the five-run frame. Nimmo added a solo shot in the seventh inning to extend the team’s lead to six.

Some more notes from today’s game:

• Carlos Gomez replaced Jeff McNeil in left field to begin the fourth inning. Gomez lined into a double play with runners on first and third in the sixth and struck out in the eighth.
• Wilson Ramos contributed two hits and scored a run in the victory. Ramos is now batting .355 with a .878 OPS this spring.
• Alonso recorded one hit in four at-bats in today’s game.
• Robinson Cano went 0-for-3 and walked in his final plate appearance before exiting the game for a pinch runner in the seventh.
• Edwin Diaz entered in the seventh inning and retired the Marlins in order.
• Ryan O’Rourke walked two during a scoreless eighth inning as he continues to make his case for the final spot in the bullpen. O’Rourke now owns a 1.93 ERA this spring.

Full box score: MLB.com