DETROIT -- New York Mets manager Terry Collins has to remind himself that his young ace is, indeed, quite young.Noah Syndergaard needed 112 pitches to get through six innings, allowing four runs in a 4-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.Noah is so good that we lose sight of the fact that hes a 23-year-old who is still learning how to pitch, Collins said. His last few starts are the first time hes really had a tough stretch in the major leagues, and thats going to be an important learning experience for him.Syndergaard (9-6) is 0-3 in his last five starts, and hasnt made it past the sixth inning in any of them.Im trying to be too fine with my pitches instead of just trusting my stuff and letting it go, he said. I know I have the stuff to go out there and be dominant, but Ive got to let myself do it. Im not pitching badly, but Im not doing what I know I can do.Tigers ace Justin Verlander was the star once again, holding the Mets to four hits in six innings. Since July 1, he is 5-0 in seven starts with a 1.85 ERA.Victor Martinez homered to help the Tigers win for the ninth time in 10 games, moving within two of first-place Cleveland in the AL Central.Obviously, being in the race adds some excitement, Verlander said. Obviously, everyone knows where we are at, and weve been around long enough that were doing some scoreboard watching, but it all comes down to how we finish.Verlander (12-6) allowed only two runs and struck out nine, but the Mets ran his pitch count up to 103 to force him out of the game. Three relievers finished, with Francisco Rodriguez pitching the ninth for his 31st save.James Loney drove in a ninth-inning run with a groundout, and Rodriguez retired Kelly Johnson to end the game. Johnson homered in the fourth for the Mets, who are two games out of the second National League wild-card spot.We had some chances, but that guy on the mound for the Tigers is awfully good, Collins said. Verlanders one of those guys that can get himself out of just about any jam, so you have to get him fast.Syndergaard gave up seven hits and two walks, striking out seven.The Tigers took advantage of Syndergaards weakness holding runners in the first. Ian Kinsler led off with a single, stole second and third and scored on Miguel Cabreras groundout. Opponents are 32 of 36 on steal attempts in Syndergaards 22 starts this season.We had an idea about running today, but you cant do anything until Ian gets himself on first base, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. He got on base and got himself to third, so while Miggy gets the RBI, Kins basically created that run.Verlander was cruising until he walked Jay Bruce on a 3-2 pitch in the fourth. He retired Loney for the second out of the inning, but Johnson hit his second homer in two nights to give the Mets a 2-1 lead.Martinez got the lead back in the bottom of the inning, lining Syndergaards changeup deep into the right-field stands for a two-run homer. James McCann added an RBI single in the inning to make it 4-2.After we got the lead, I went out to the mound telling myself that, no matter what, I couldnt blow it, Syndergaard said. Well, thats like telling someone not to think about a pink elephant. I think every major mistake I made tonight was in that inning.TRAINERS ROOMMets: OF Yoenis Cespedes (quadriceps) is on the disabled list, costing him his first visit back to Detroit since he was traded at last years deadline. Cespedes was popular with Tigers fans.Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermanns MRI showed no damage to the lat muscle that bothered him in Thursdays poor start. Zimmermann will throw a bullpen session on Sunday before the Tigers decide if he will make his next start. .... CF Cameron Maybin sat out his second straight game with a bruised thumb.INTERLEAGUE STARSThe Mets have the best interleague record (.518) of any National League team since games began in 1996, but the Tigers are significantly better at .546. Since 2006, the Tigers are second in the majors at .620 (124-76).UP NEXTThe teams play the second game in their weekend series Saturday evening, with Matt Boyd (2-2, 4.71) facing New Yorks Logan Verrett (3-6, 4.20). Boyd will be making his first interleague start, while Verrett made his first on Monday, getting a no-decision against the Yankees. Cheap Nike Vapormax Run Utility . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. Vapormax 97 Silver Bullet For Sale . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. http://www.vapormaxcheapoutlet.com/clearance-vapormax-all-black.html . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. Vapormax Plus Photo Blue . Louis Cardinals. Victorino is batting sixth and playing right field after missing two games because of back tightness. Nike Vapormax Plus Black Aluminum . Pedro scored from a pass by Lionel Messi in the 33rd minute and added two more goals in the 47th and 72nd after Valdes saved his second penalty in four days following his stop in Wednesdays 4-0 over Ajax in the Champions League. ST. LOUIS -- Standing in front of his locker Sunday after the St. Louis Cardinals lost another series to a last-place team, right fielder Brandon Moss wasnt about to slap a Chuck Tanner happy face on this one.We go through our ups and we go through our downs, and we are consistently inconsistent, he said. Thats all there is to it.Moss and his teammates will continue the season-long search for consistency Monday night when they welcome the Cincinnati Reds to Busch Stadium for a three-game series.At 58-53, St. Louis remains among the contenders for a National League wild-card spot, even though it trails Miami for the second wild-card spot by a half-game, pending the outcome of the Marlins game in Colorado.But theres no denying that the Cardinals have mostly missed a prime chance to bank some wins in the last week. In the first six games of a nine-game stretch against Cincinnati and Atlanta, two of the NLs three last-place teams, St. Louis went 2-4.Poor starting pitching has been a problem. The Cardinals got just one quality start in those six games -- Jaime Garcias eight shutout innings on Friday night against the Braves -- and have had to run through their bullpen consistently.St. Louis series loss at Atlantas hands continued a season-long trend of failing to win at home, where it is a shocking 26-32.I feel like every month is the month to watch out for things, Moss said. We have a good team. We still have two months left, so to be honest, a lot of things work themselves out in the last week of the season.TThe Reds fate is already worked out.dddddddddddd At 45-65, they will miss the playoffs for the third straight year and are looking toward 2017 and beyond, having dealt NL RBI leader Jay Bruce to the New York Mets.But Cincinnati at least deserves credit for not mailing in the first 3 1/2 weeks after the All-Star break. It won six straight series before dropping two of three in Pittsburgh during the weekend, although it salvaged a 7-3 win Sunday.These guys have not turned their backs on the fact that we expect to go out there and play hard and win games, Reds manager Bryan Price said. Its a tribute to the guys in the clubhouse.Monday nights pitching matchup is a repeat of the Cardinals 5-4 win over Cincinnati on Wednesday night in the Great American Ball Park.St. Louis Michael Wacha (7-7, 4.35) is 6-1 with a 1.97 ERA in 12 career games against the Reds. Only Texas pitcher Cole Hamels 1.93 ERA against Cincinnati is lower among active pitchers than Wachas.Cincinnati counters with rookie left-hander Cody Reed (0-6, 7.30), who was touched for five runs in five innings by the Cardinals. Reed, who hacked up four first-inning runs, has permitted 13 runs in the first inning of his eight starts.Tuesday nights game will pit former Red Mike Leake (8-9, 4.80) against Brandon Finnegan (7-8, 4.65), and Garcia (8-8, 4.04) opposes Anthony DeSclafani (6-0, 2.94) in Wednesday nights series finale. ' ' '