Figueroa goes 3 good innings against Michigan

Nelson Figueroa threw three strong innings in the Mets' 8-1 win over the University of Michigan on Sunday.

``They'd never seen me before, so it was to my advantage. I was throwing four pitches for strikes, and I was able to put them away with curveballs and fastballs,'' said Figueroa, who last pitched in a B game against Florida last Sunday.

He struck out the side in the first inning before Michigan scraped out a run in the second by stringing together a pair of hits. Figueroa (1-0) responded with a perfect third.

The Mets scored a pair of runs in the second, four in the sixth and two more in the eighth.

Chris Carter went 3 for 3, while Henry Blanco and Alejandro Machado each drove in two runs for New York.