Conforto homer fuels Mets’ victory

WASHINGTON— Michael Conforto got exactly what he wanted. So did the Mets.

In his first regular-season game since August, Conforto came off the disabled list to hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer off Stephen Strasburg, helping the Mets register an 8-2 victory over the Nationals in the latter’s home opener Thursday.

Yoenis Cespedes also went deep against Strasburg and Jay Bruce tacked on an insurance grand slam off reliever Brandon Kintzler in the seventh inning.

“As a competitor, you want to go up against the best, (and) they don’t get much better than him,” said Conforto, a 2017 NL All-Star who had surgery on his left shoulder in September. “If we’re starting there, then we should be OK.”

Conforto struck out on three pitches leading off the game, then grounded into a double play in the third inning. On his third at-bat with two outs in the fifth, he drove a 97 mph pitch out to left.

It was originally ruled that the ball remained in the field of play, so Conforto stopped at second base. After a replay review, the hit was changed to a homer.

Bruce joked about the Mets center fielder and leadoff hitter: “His first two at-bats were his rehab. (By) his third at-bat, he was ready.”

Said Strasburg: “I definitely want two pitches back. Mistakes were made and I paid the price for it.”

The Mets improved to an NL East-leading 5-1, while the twotime reigning division champion Nationals have lost three in a row after a 4-0 start under rookie manager Dave Martinez.

“Everybody’s in a really good spot confidence-wise,” new Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “It’s just fun to see.”