FORT LAUDERDALE — Mike Pelfrey‘s day is done after just two batters (both of them resulting in hits) thanks to a sudden downpour here at Fort Lauderdale Stadium this afternoon. The Mets and Orioles were scoreless in the bottom of the first when the rains came at about 1:20 p.m. The game was scheduled to resume at 2:50 p.m.

“It was very, very wet outside, and when I started delivering, my back foot would start to slide before my front foot landed,” Pelfrey told us during the rain delay. “I didn’t say anything because I wanted to keep pitching, but I got a little messy out there.”

The contest started back up without Pelfrey, who was having trouble getting traction on the rubber just before the game was delayed. The Mets obviously didn’t want to risk injury or have Pelfrey get warmed up again, so he was replaced by Brian Stokes.

Pelfrey, who had given up six runs in his previous outing, was off to a rough start today. He allowed singles to the only two batters he faced, Ryan Freel and Adam Jones, although Pelfrey picked off Freel at first base before the storms arrived.

Pelfrey said he plans to toss a bullpen session Tuesday in Port St. Lucie then throw 90-95 pitches in a minor-league intrasquad game Thursday to make up for the same amount of pitches he was set to throw today.