JUPITER, Fla. -- Jacob deGrom breezed through three scoreless innings, Travis d’Arnaud drove in three runs and the New York Mets held on for a 6-5 victory over the Miami Marlins on Thursday at Roger Dean Stadium.
Sean Gilmartin allowed a pair of ninth-inning runs, but struck out Justin Bohn with the tying run at second base to end the game.
In his first Grapefruit League appearance since being scratched on Monday because of back stiffness, deGrom retired nine of the 10 batters he faced. The lone baserunner came on a leadoff double in the second inning by Giancarlo Stanton. DeGrom threw 30 pitches (22 strikes). He struck out three.
DeGrom was particularly pleased because he struggled with pitch location in his last Grapefruit League appearance, against the New York Yankees on March 9.
“A lot better than last time,” he labeled his control. “I felt really good out there today. Good location. That’s mainly what I’ve been working on. I think that little extra time off, skipping that one, helped me out.”
DeGrom added about his back: “There was no concern. It was locked up for two or three days. I said something -- ‘Hey, my back is not feeling great.’ I’ve been treating it, and it’s gone now. There was really no concern with it. It was more muscle on the side -- nothing on the spine or anything. I think that made it a little more comforting.”
Steven Matz followed deGrom and carried the scoreless effort into the sixth, when he surrendered a two-out RBI single to Marcell Ozuna that pulled Miami within 6-1. Jeff Mathis added an RBI single and Austin Nola had a run-scoring triple in the seventh against Matz.
Matz was charged with three runs on five hits and a walk in four innings.
“At this point I’m starting to want results a little bit, and they’re not there yet,” a frustrated Matz said. “But out of the gates I felt good. I felt like my curveball was working decent, and that’s usually the last thing that comes. So I’m happy with that.”
Said manager Terry Collins: “Steven got a little tired, but he threw the ball great for a while. We’ve got to get him in [pitching] shape.”
Matz might also pitch in relief of deGrom during Game 2 of the season, on April 5 at Kansas City. However, deGrom’s wife Stacey is expecting the couple’s first child that same day, which might prevent deGrom from making the start.
“I’m definitely going to be there when my son is born,” deGrom said. “… I’d love to be there with the team. But if the baby comes, then I’ll be home.”
D’Arnaud finished 2-for-2 with a walk and three RBIs. That included a two-run single in the fourth that staked the Mets to a 4-0 lead and chased Jose Fernandez. Curtis Granderson followed with a two-run single against reliever Nefi Ogando later in the fourth, resulting in Fernandez being charged with six runs in 3⅔ innings.
Ouch: Yoenis Cespedes was struck on the right wrist with a pitch in the fifth inning from Edwin Jackson. He departed at that point, although Collins said it was because the slugger was only scripted for three plate appearances anyway. Cespedes indicated the wrist felt fine.
Cespedes, the designated hitter, reached base twice.
He had asked out of Tuesday’s trip to Jupiter because of a sore hip. Cespedes said the hip trouble has arisen twice before in his career, but is no major issue.
“I went to see the doctor, and he said that my muscle just seems to get a little bit tense there,” Cespedes said through an interpreter. “So they put some compression on the nerves. And he said that should relieve it. I don’t know what it is, though.”
What’s next: Bartolo Colon starts for the Mets in a 6:10 p.m. ET game on Friday against the Washington Nationals at Tradition Field. David Wright is expected to make his first Grapefruit League appearance. He is due to man third base. Right-hander Lucas Giolito, who was selected 16th overall in the first round in 2012, starts for the Nats.