FORT MYERS, Fla. — Mike Pelfrey gave up three runs and nine hits over five innings in the Mets’ 4-3 loss to the Twins on Wednesday.
“Some long innings,” Pelfrey said. “Coming into the game, I wanted to throw more fastballs. Obviously, I did that. Obviously, you look at five innings, nine hits and three runs, I didn’t really throw that many for strikes. Those are some pretty poor splits.
“I didn’t walk anybody, which is one thing that drives me nuts, especially during spring training. So that was good,” Pelfrey said. “My secondary stuff wasn’t very good today. I wanted to use the fastball.”
Terry Collins expressed his confidence in Pelfrey.
“I want guys who really can compete,” Collins said. “Mike’s at the stage where he’s trying to do that. From what I saw last year in the first half and the second half, he’s a guy who can go out there and take charge of a game.”
As for Pelfrey’s outing, it wasn’t as bad as it looked, Collins said.
“What I like most of all is he pounded the strike zone,” Collins said. “The guys who try to hit the corners and hit the corners, and hit the corners, they don’t ever get a feel for the strike zone. Mike pounds the strike zone and continues to work on his command and hits the corners. That’s what I like.”
Twins star Joe Mauer, serving as the designated hitter while recovering from offseason surgery on his left knee, singled in three at-bats.
Pelfrey came away impressed with Mauer’s performance.
“I thought I threw two good sliders today,” Pelfrey said. “One of them was his first at-bat. I threw a slider in, and he hit a rocker right up the middle. He’s obviously Joe Mauer for a reason. He’s pretty talented. He hit it right up the middle. I have no idea how he did it. You just have to tip your cap to him.”
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Collins scratched Lucas Duda as the designated hitter because Angel Pagan arrived to the clubhouse, thinking he was on the travel squad. Collins decided to play Pagan instead and will have him stay overnight and face the Red Sox on Thursday. … David Wright went 1-for-3 with a strikeout. Jose Reyes went 1-for-1 with two walks and a run scored.