Gee And Hefner Fail To Impress Ahead Of Opening Day, Mets Lose To Orioles

SARASOTA, Fla. (CBSNewYork/AP) — New York Mets manager Terry Collins put it bluntly after Mets arms Dillon Gee and Jeremy Hefner got roughed up by the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.

"Everybody's ready to get out of here," he said.

Nate McLouth hit two home runs and the Orioles held the New York Mets to one hit in a 7-1 victory Saturday, the spring training finale for both teams.

Collins was still a little stunned by the news Thursday that left-hander Johan Santana will miss the entire season after re-tearing the anterior capsule in his pitching shoulder. Hoping to save his career, he'll have surgery Tuesday in New York performed by team medical director Dr. David Altchek.

The Mets still have a roster decision to make and they'll do that on Sunday. Backup infielder Justin Turner's strained left calf will be examined, and if he's not ready to play, third baseman Zach Lutz will make the team.

Dillon Gee, who allowed just two hits and struck out seven on Monday against Atlanta, gave up three runs and six hits in four innings. Gee, set to be New York's third starter, is lined up to pitch against San Diego on Thursday.

"Last outing was so good, to compare it to that is pretty hard because he was so dominant," Collins said.

Gee allowed the first of two home runs by Nate McLouth in the third. Two innings later, McLouth connected off Jeremy Hafner, who struggled through two innings. He allowed four runs and four hits — three of them home runs. Chris Davis and Steve Pearce also went deep for Baltimore.

Before the game, Pearce was told he beat out Conor Jackson for the final spot on the team.

Hafner, scheduled to start New York's fourth game, left his previous outing Tuesday against St. Louis when he was hit on his pitching elbow by Carlos Beltran's one-hopper.

"He probably still has a little stiffness, but he'll be OK. We wanted to get him a couple of innings, anyway," Collins said.

New York's offense was shut down by six Orioles pitchers. Miguel Gonzalez, the No. 3 starter for Baltimore, gave up a leadoff single in the fifth to Marlon Byrd, who scored on Ruben Tejada's sacrifice fly. Gonzalez struck out four and walked one in five innings.

"I'm happy we ended this way," he said. "I worked what I needed to work on."

Baltimore ended the spring with a 19-9-4 record.

"We're ready. I feel good about where we are," manager Buck Showalter said.

David Wright was 0 for 3 in his second game since sustaining a rib injury in the World Baseball Classic.

"He's fine. It's a hard game at this level. When you take two weeks off or three weeks off, it takes a little time to get things back," Collins said.

NOTES: Collins said OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis has made the team. The manager also said he would try to avoid strict platooning in the outfield. Collin Cowgill, who Collins said hits left-handers well, has won the center field job, and he said his opening day lineup was nearly set. "We don't know all of it yet, but it will be pretty similar to what today's was," Collins said. ... Baltimore has two days off before opening the season at Tampa Bay on Tuesday. ... Orioles CF Adam Jones got the day off. ... The Mets open the season Monday at home against San Diego. LHP Jonathon Niese faces Padres RHP Edinson Volquez. ... The Orioles have set their roster by reassigning Jackson, LHP Mark Hendrickson and RHP Jair Jurrjens to minor league camp. They are expected to place INF Wilson Betemit (right knee), RHP Steve Johnson (back) and LHP Tsuyoshi Wada on the disabled list Sunday. Pearce hit seven homers and drove in 18 runs this spring. "I did everything I could to make this team," he said.