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 NCAA Jerseys China . -- Adam Snyder returned to the San Francisco 49ers this season because the offensive lineman thought it was his best opportunity to win a championship. Cheap NCAA Jerseys . It might not have mattered. While the Dodgers are preparing for the playoffs, the Padres showed their future has promise behind two rookies. https://www.cheapncaajerseysjustwholesale.com/ . Batiste, who briefly signed with the Eskimos in 2006, has spent time with several NFL teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. NCAA Jerseys . The players spoke Jan. 13 during a Major League Baseball Players Association conference call after Rodriguez sued the union and Major League Baseball to overturn an arbitrators decision suspending him for the 2014 season and post-season. NCAA Basketball Jerseys . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona.JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. has more 15-yard penalties than sacks, a growing concern for the Jacksonville Jaguars.Fowler has been flagged nine times this season, which is tied for the fourth most in the NFL, and three of those were major infractions. He was called for unnecessary roughness late in the second quarter of Sundays 24-21 loss to Houston , penalized for hitting quarterback Brock Osweiler well out of bounds.It didnt end up costing the Jaguars (2-7) any points, but it continued a trend that started in the preseason. And Fowler has shown few, if any, signs of getting his undisciplined acts under control. Jacksonville plays at Detroit (5-4) on Sunday.I thought he was making good strides, coach Gus Bradley said Monday. I told you the last couple of weeks you could see a conscious (effort) in him as far as hitting the quarterback late or targeting. I thought he made great strides with that. It was a foolish penalty (Sunday). Its like two steps forward, one step back. He knows. We had the discussion at halftime, too. He has to grow up in that area.Bradley benched Fowler for the remainder of the half, which amounted to four plays. It was the second time in the last three games the coach kept Fowler on the sideline after a silly penalty.Bradley also benched Fowler for throwing a punch early in the second quarter of a lopsided loss at Tennessee. That one turned a 15-yard completion into a 30-yard play and helped the Titans build a 17-0 lead.The third overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, Fowler said afterward that missing his rookie season because of a knee injury affected him psychologically and has his emotions amped up -- maybe too hyped -- while on the field.When Im out there, Im just out ffor blood and everybody, Fowler said.dddddddddddd I have to tame that and control that.It hasnt happened, evidenced by his late hit on Osweiler.Clearly out of bounds, Bradley said. I think thats what was frustrating in that situation.Adding to his woes, Fowlers not getting consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. He has 2 1/2 sacks in nine games and has been supplanted in the starting lineup by rookie Yannick Ngakoue, and his lack of control and numbers have some wondering if Fowler has more potential to be bust than a Pro Bowler.Dantes challenge is his footwork, and youll see it in practice, Bradley said. Hell go do individual drill work and hes trying to get better at it. Hell come into practice and its a team rep and you might see him do it two out of three times. In the game, he reverts back to one out of three times, where in the past you didnt see it transfer over to the game.I think were trying to break that habit to where he gets more pressure, more up-field to where it opens up more of his game.Fowler was dominant in college, finishing his three-year Florida career with 140 tackles, including 33 behind the line of scrimmage, and 14 + sacks. His skills havent transferred to the next level yet, and his penchant for penalties has the Jaguars unable to fully trust him on the field.I think Gus knows and we have a pretty good understanding of the type of player that I am and my emotions, Fowler said recently. But I guess I let my emotions get the best of me. I dont want to hurt the team. ... Its just about being smart.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '