BLISTER SLEDGE
FINGER FINE AS THOR DROPS HAMMER ON MARLINS /
Noah Syndergaard threw 103 pitches, gave up just a pair of runs and was still throwing 98-mph sinkers in his final inning of work.
And you thought a mere blister was going to strike down the mighty Thor?
Not on Sunday, it didn’t, as Syndergaard tossed seven strong innings for the Mets in a much-needed 5-2 win over the Marlins, as the Mets closed out their seasonopening homestand 3-3.
The big right-hander appeared to show no ill effects from the blister on his middle finger that forced him out of the game after six innings in his first start of the season.
The Mets offense came up with three runs in the bottom of the first off Edinson Volquez and that was all Syndergaard would need in picking up his first victory of the young season. He ended up giving up two runs — just one earned — in seven innings. Syndergaard struck out nine and didn’t walk a batter.
It was exactly what manager Terry Collins had in mind before the game, as the Mets looked to avoid a third straight loss before heading to the road. The Mets pushed back Syndergaard’s start a day, but the manager said he didn’t expect it to have an impact on the right-hander.
“His finger is fine,” the manager said. “I looked at his hand [Saturday] and you don’t even notice it. … One grip he uses for his changeup that caused the irritation, maybe he’ll back off that grip a little bit.”
An early lead helped, thanks to some shoddy defense by Miami.
After back-to-back singles by Asdrubal Cabrera and Yoenis Cespedes in the first put runners on the corners with one out, Jay Bruce grounded softly to first, but J.T. Realmuto couldn’t handle Justin Bour’s throw, allowing Cabrera to score from third.
Neil Walker followed with an opposite-field single to left, driving in Cespedes before Lucas Duda’s hit loaded the bases for Michael Conforto.
Conforto, starting for the first time this season, drew a four-pitch walk from Edinson Volquez to make it 3-0 and force a visit from Miami pitching coach Juan Nieves.
Walker was forced out at home on Rene Rivera’s swinging bunt for the second out and Syndergaard fanned to finally end the inning.
Syndergaard struck out five of the first six hitters he faced — and retired all of them — before Derek Dietrich opened the third with a double down the right-field line.
Cespedes then dropped a fly to left by Miguel Rojas to put runners on second and third with no one out for Volquez.
Syndergaard responded by getting his counterpart looking, but Dee Gordon lined a two-run double down the leftfield line to get the Marlins back in the game, making it 3-2. Gordon, though, was caught trying to steal third by Rene Rivera for the second out.
Rivera tossed out Realmuto trying to swipe second to end the inning.
Volquez responded by retiring nine-of-10 after his first-inning woes.
The Marlins rallied again in the fifth with a pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt by Volquez, but Syndergaard got Gordon to strike out swinging at a 3-2 slider to preserve the one-run lead.
Bruce gave the Mets a bit of a cushion with a two-out solo homer in the fifth.
Syndergaard was coming off six scoreless innings in his season-debut, when he was forced out by the blister after 86 pitches.
He felt good enough on Sunday that Collins let Syndergaard hit for himself with a threerun lead in the bottom of the sixth after throwing 91 pitches.
Fernando Salas and Addison Reed finished the win in relief.