The Miami Marlins played the New York Mets to a 5-5 draw at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Tuesday in spring training action. Jacob Jenkins-Cowart led the offensive effort with a 1-for-1 with a home run and three RBI day, but neither club could land the decisive blow. On the mound, Sandy Alcantara turned in a solid outing, working 4.0 innings of 2-run ball with five strikeouts. The Mets out-hit the Marlins 10-5 on the day. The draw is part of the exhibition experience, and the coaching staff will evaluate the individual performances as they continue assembling the Opening Day roster.
Key Performers
Jacob Jenkins-Cowart was the key contributor at the plate, going 1-for-1 with a home run and three RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Marlins confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Esteury Ruiz chipped in, going 1-for-2 with two RBI, Brian Navarreto added to the attack, going 1-for-1 with a double, and Starlyn Caba provided support, going 1-for-1. While there were individual bright spots, the lineup could not string hits together consistently.
On the other side of the diamond, Bo Bichette led the Mets offense with a 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, and five RBI day. Marcus Semien also contributed, going 2-for-3. Tyrone Taylor added a 2-for-4 with a double effort as well. The Mets offense proved to be too much for the Marlins pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Sandy Alcantara got the start, delivering a strong performance, working 4.0 innings while allowing 2 earned runs on 3 hits with five strikeouts. He threw 70 pitches in the outing. It was exactly the kind of outing the Marlins need from their pitching staff heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 4.3 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out nine. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today provided useful information about the current state of the bullpen. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions.
Among the relievers, Andrew Nardi stood out with 1.1 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
Mets got on the board first with two runs in the third inning. The Marlins answered with a run in the fifth. Mets responded with three runs in the seventh. The Marlins countered with a run in the seventh. The Marlins plated three runs in the eighth. Mets out-hit the Marlins 10-5, with 3 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 3,416 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Marlins will move on from the draw as spring training continues. Exhibition games can end in ties under spring training rules, and the coaching staff will focus on the individual performances rather than the outcome as they finalize their roster ahead of Opening Day. Every at-bat and every inning on the mound is valuable preparation for the regular season ahead.
