Mets (ss) def. Tigers (ss) 4-7 on 3/16/08

March 16, 2008

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Detroit	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	0		4	14	0
NY Mets	1	1	1	0	0	1	0	3	X		7	14	0

03/16/2008 4:15 PM ET
Tigers battle back but fall to Mets
Four-run sixth not enough as Detroit comes up short
By Marty Noble / MLB.com


METS (ss) 7, TIGERS (ss) 4
at Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Sunday, March 16

Tigers at the plate: Carlos Guillen hit a two-run home run against Brian Stokes in the sixth inning. A Baltimore-chop single by Brent Clevlen drove in the tying run, and, after a single by Michael Holliman, a single by Ramon Santiago drove in two runs in the four-run sixth. Magglio Ordonez had a booming double to center field against Pedro Martinez in the second.

Mets at the plate: Jose Reyes tripled and scored, on a groundout by Luis Castillo, in the first inning and drove in a run in the second with a sacrifice fly in the second. Carlos Delgado's opposite-field double to left produced a run in the third. Delgado eventually advanced to third base and, on the final play of the inning, was struck by the splintered bat of Brady Clark. Jake Eigsti's two-run double sparked a three-run game-winning rally in the eighth inning.

Tigers on the mound: Starter Yorman Bazardo allowed one run in each of the first three innings and was removed with one out in the third. Virgil Vasquez replaced him and pitched through the sixth, allowing one run.

Mets on the mound: Martinez, making his first exhibition game start, pitched four scoreless innings, allowing four hits and a walk and striking out four. Matt Wise struck out two in the 1-2-3 fifth, but Stokes allowed six hits and four runs in the sixth.

Up next for the Tigers: Having pitched five innings against the Astros on Wednesday, Kenny Rogers is to start again on Monday at 1:05 p.m. ET when the Tigers play the Reds in Sarasota, Fla. Denny Batista and Todd Jones are to follow the left-handed veteran starter. Right-handed rookie Johnny Cueto, who has a 1.00 ERA and eight strikeouts in nine spring innings, is to start for the Reds with the hope of again enhancing his chances of winning a spot in the rotation.

Up next for the Mets: New York will make a second trip to Viera, Fla., on Monday at 1:05 p.m. to play the Nationals at Space Coast Stadium, a ballpark positioned so that the catchers need sunglasses. The first trip was wasted, as Martinez was rained out. Oliver Perez is to start for the Mets and be followed by Ricardo Rincon and Joe Smith. Left-hander Mike O'Connor goes for the Nationals, followed by Joel Hanrahan, Jon Rauch, Luis Ayala and Chad Cordero.

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

Bazardo reminds me so much of 'Nando it isnt even funny!!