Tong Shaky in Debut, Benge Collects Three Hits

Jonah Tong gave up three hits, a walk, hit a batter and served up a three-run, opposite-field home run to the Cardinals’ Nolan Gorman Wednesday in his spring debut at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie. St. Louis (3-2) beat the Mets (2-2-1), 6-0.

Tong went 2 2/3 innings, threw 50 pitches and was pulled by manager Carlos Mendoza one batter after the Gorman homer. After dominating in the minor leagues last season (1.43 ERA, 179 strikeouts in 113 1/3 innings) Tong was hit hard (7.71 ERA, 18 2/3 innings) over five starts with the Mets.