Mets beat Cards in Callaway’s debut
NEW YORK — Mickey Callaway’s first game as a manager with the Mets went exactly according to plan.
Yoenis Cespedes drove in three runs and newcomer Adrian Gonzalez hit a go-ahead double to lead Noah Syndergaard and New York past the St. Louis Cardinals 9-4 in their opener Thursday.
Syndergaard (1-0) struck out 10 and walked none in six innings after missing most of last season with a torn lat muscle.
Leadoff man Brandon Nimmo, subbing for injured All-Star Michael Conforto, reached safely four times and scored twice as the Mets chased a furious Carlos Martinez in their five-run fifth inning to make Callaway a winner at sold-out Citi Field.
“It feels great,” Callaway said. “What a ballpark. All of us, the coaches, were sitting there going, man, this is something special. This is a different place than most.”
Gonzalez, 35, also was on base four times with two hits and two walks in his New York debut. The five-time All-Star first baseman was signed for the major league minimum during the offseason after struggling with a bad back last year with the Dodgers.
“Obviously, getting off to a good start is huge, both personally and as a team. I think we accomplished both,” he said.
Yadier Molina hit an early two-run home run for St. Louis that clanged off the left-field foul pole. Jose Martinez (3 for 4) also went deep against Syndergaard and knocked in two but committed a run-scoring throwing error at first base.
“I was mad at myself not making that play, for sure. I put Carlos in a tough situation right there,” Martinez said. “I don’t feel very happy with my performance, because that play was huge for us.”
New York got hitless relief from Robert Gsellman, newcomer Anthony Swarzak and closer Jeurys Familia to finish with 15 strikeouts.
“I thought it was a great team win. A lot of fun,” Syndergaard said. “Kind of kicking myself in the butt for allowing that Martinez guy to get a little too comfortable, but that won’t happen again.”
Todd Frazier, also making his Mets debut, drew a one-out walk from Martinez (0-1) in the fifth and scored from first on Gonzalez’s double into the right-field corner for a 4-3 lead. CUBS 8, MARLINS 4
on and the Anthony first pitch Rizzo of the homered major Ian league Happ into the homered season, upper deck in the second inning, leading Chicago past Derek Jeter’s Miami team. Happ, playing in his first opening day game, pulled Jose Urena’s first pitch into the seats to give the Cubs the fast start they sought. Kyle Schwarber also homered for Chicago, which overcame two errors and a rocky start by Jon Lester. The Cubs bullpen, revamped after a dismal 2017 postseason, shut out Miami over the final 5 2/3 innings, allowing only one hit. Newcomer Steve Cishek (1-0) stranded four runners in two scoreless innings. BREWERS 2, PADRES 1 (12) Arcia in Diego. Cimber the singled 12th Arcia’s (0-1), inning who in hit Ji-Man came to was lift making off Milwaukee Choi sidearmer with his big two over Orlando league Adam outs San debut. double After play, getting Cimber Manny allowed Pina Choi’s to hit pinch-hit into a double before Arcia’s go-ahead RBI. Jeremy Jeffress (1-0) pitched two innings for the victory. Jacob Barnes struck out the side in the 12th for the save. Clayton Richard, making his first opening day start at age 34, went 7 innings, allowing 1 run and 6 hits with 4 strikeouts and 1 walk for the Padres. BRAVES 8, PHILLIES 5 hit ninth a ruined Hector five-run a three-run inning, the Neris deficit managing capping (0-1) home that gave Atlanta’s rocked run debut up with Philadelphia of an comeback Nick two Gabe infield out Markakis Kapler. in hit from and the to Charlie Freeman over the Culberson before right-field Markakis and wall. an intentional Cesar drove a Hernandez 1-1 walk pitch to homered performance for the by Phillies, Aaron Nola who — wasted the youngest a strong opening-day starter for the Phillies since Dennis Bennett in 1964. Kapler was sure to feel the heat for lifting the 24-year-old Nola in the sixth Vizcaino out the with side when (1-0) a 5-0 in the the earned lead bullpen ninth. after the gave just victory it 68 away. pitches, by striking Arodys especially GIANTS 1, DODGERS 0 and the his first three-time San off loss Clayton Francisco in NL his Kershaw beat Cy franchise-record Young Los in Angeles, Joe the Award Panik fifth dealing winner eighth inning homered consecutive run allowed opening this year day by start. Kershaw, It was including the first spring training. The seven hits given up by the left-hander are the most off him on opening day, when he is 5-1. Kershaw struck out 7 and walked 2 in 6 innings. Ty Blach opened in place of injured ace Madison Bumgarner, who is on the disabled list. Blach allowed 3 hits in 5 innings, struck out 3 and walked 3.