Zack Wheeler Loses in Return

Zack Wheeler returned to the pitcher’s mound Friday night after missing the past two years following Tommy John surgery. While Wheeler was happy to be back, he could not be happy with the results, as he and the Mets lost to the Marlins at a frigid Citi Field.

The Mets jumped out to an early lead. Curtis Granderson singled with two on in the first to give the Mets a 1-0 lead.

But it would not last very long. After a promising first inning, Wheeler allowed three runs in the second. Derek Dieterich tripled with two on and came home on a ground out to give the Marlins a 3-1 lead.

They added two more in the third on a Christian Yelin two-run homer off the foul pole in right.

Zack Wheeler lasted four innings and 80 pitches, allowing five runs on six hits. He struck out four and walked one. Wheeler had trouble locating his off-speed pitches and was losing velocity on his fastball as the game progressed.

Josh Smoker came on in the fifth, and he was worse than Wheeler. He allowed two runs, leaving with the bases loaded and one out. But Rafael Montero came on and cleaned up the mess, getting a double play to keep it a 7-1 game.

Yoenis Cespedes hit his first homer of the year in the eighth to cut the lead t0 7-2.

If there was one bright spot, it was the bullpen work of Montero and Josh Edgin. Montero threw 2.2 innings of scoreless ball, while Edgin went two shutout innings.

Mets lose 7-2.