The Mets returned to a cold but sunny Citi Field on Monday to open the season against the Washington Nationals, but in the end the fans left disappointed as the Mets dropped their first game of the 2014 season, 9-7 to the Nats.
The Mets were without Chris Young (right quad strain) and Daniel Murphy (wife in labor) for Mondays opener.
Dillon Gee, who was the Mets best spring pitcher, started his first Opening Day of his career and faced off against the Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg.
Gee, who at one point retired 15 straight batters, tossed 6 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on four hits, walking two and recorded five strikeouts. He also gave up a two-run home run to Adam LaRoche in the top of the second inning. Gee was clocked on the gun at a consistent 88-90 MPH until the seventh inning, when he started to tire.
Carlos Torres replaced Gee in the top of the 7th and with two outs, walked the first batter he faced. Terry Collins, immediately replaced Torres with the lefty Scott Rice to face left handed hitting Denard Span and he walked him to score the tying run and make the score 4-4.
Jose Valverde, who was brought in to face the next batter, came in firing darts and struck out Ryan Zimmerman to end the inning and stranded the bases loaded. In the eighth inning, he struck out two of the three batters he faced, averaging 93 MPH on the gun. His line: 1 1/3 innings and three strike outs.
Bobby Parnell, came into pitch the ninth and was hoping to record his first save since July 30, 2013, but blew it by giving up a RBI single to Denard Span and the tie the game at five a piece.
Mets Offense:
Downtown Andrew Brown, got the Mets on the board early 3-0, with a three-run boom shot to left field off a Strasburg fastball in the bottom of the first. Brown was added to the lineup, when Chris Young was scratched with a right quad strain. Brown finished the game 1 for 4, a run scored and three RBI.
Eric Young Jr., put the Mets up 4-0, with a Sac Fly scoring Travis d’Arnaud, who walked earlier in the at bat. Young also finished 0 for 4, with four strikeouts.
Juan Lagares, who was not scheduled to start, hit a home run in the bottom of the eighth to put the Mets back up 5-4, and finished the game 2 for 4, with three runs, and an RBI.
David Wright, the Face of MLB, came out ready to compete and went 3 for 5, with two runs scored and two RBI. The two ribbies came on a two-run blast to left field to bring the Mets within two at 9-7, in the bottom of the tenth.
Curtis Granderson, struck out three times in five at bats, and finished hitless on the day. But in the eighth inning, he did launched a ball into left center, but Denard Span, made a nice running catch to track it down.
Travis d’Arnaud, making his first Major League Opening Day start, finished 0 for 3, with a walk and a run scored.
Ruben Tejada, turned the early pre-game boos into cheers with a single in his first at bat. He finished 1 for 4.
What’s Next:
The Mets are off on Tuesday, but are back in action on Wednesday night for Game 2 of the season against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field.
Bartolo Colon will make his Mets debut against Nationals Left handed pitcher, Gio Gonzalez. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 pm.
(Photo Credit: USATSI)
