Thursday, March 19, 2009

Mets 12, Astros 1

METS 12, ASTROS 1
at Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Thursday, March 19

Astros at the plate: Lou Santangelo drove in the first run with an infield out in the fifth inning, but the Astros didn't do much else against Mets starter Mike Pelfrey, compiling just three hits in his six frames.

Mets at the plate: Jose Reyes, batting leadoff again, contributed a two-run double to a five-run rally in the second inning, and hit another in the fourth, when the Mets scored three times. The Astros contributed two errors and a wild pitch to the five-run second. Nick Evans led off the second with a sharp double and hit his third home run of the spring in the third. Seven of the Mets' runs were unearned. They increased the number of unearned runs against the Astros to 31 in 20 games. The 1999 Mets allowed 20 unearned runs in the entire regular season.

Astros on the mound: In two innings, starter Wandy Rodriguez, who is recovering from a strained muscle in his left side, allowed three hits, two walks and five runs, all but one unearned.

Mets on the mound: Pelfrey, making his third exhibition game start, retired the first 13 batters he faced. He allowed a single, a double and a walk to his subsequent three hitters, but finished allowing just one run on three hits in six innings, lowering his spring ERA to 2.77.

Grapefruit League records: Mets 8-10-1, Astros 1-16-3.

Up next: The Astros will play the Reds in Kissimmee, Fla., at 1:05 p.m. ET on Friday, with Russ Ortiz starting opposite Johnny Cueto.

The Mets travel to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Friday to play the Orioles at 1:05 p.m. Oliver Perez is to make his first exhibition start since Feb 26, and his first since he was battered -- five home runs in 6 2/3 innings -- in the World Baseball Classic. Bobby Parnell, Darren O'Day and Brian Stokes, all with chances to make the 25-man Opening Day roster, are scheduled to follow Perez. Danys Baez is to start for the Orioles.

Marty Noble is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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