Yankees cruise to victory in opener
Gonzalez, Cespedes, Syndergaard spark Mets past Cardinals in Callaway debut as manager
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.”
The 35-year-old Gonzalez also was on base four times with two hits and two walks in his New York debut. The five-time AllStar 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 homer 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 in an opener played only hours after the death of former Mets star Rusty Staub .
“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.
Syndergaard, who threw his first three pitches 99 mph , helped himself with a sacrifice bunt, and young shortstop Amed Rosario — batting ninth behind the pitcher — delivered a tworun single .
Cespedes, who had a two-run single in the second, chased Martinez with an RBI single . The two-time All-Star pitcher, who walked six, really went wild once he got to the bench, knocking over a bucket of bubble gum.
“I didn’t have command,” Martinez said. “In the last game (of) the spring I was comfortable, so I don’t know what happened.”
Jay Bruce, back after the Mets traded him to Cleveland last August, added an RBI single off Matt Bowman to cap the outburst.
“I put our lineup against anyone,” Bruce said. “We have veteran guys. We have young guys with so much talent.”
New York catcher Kevin Plawecki also had two walks and two hits, including a late RBI single.
“Just a great all-around effort today,” Frazier said. “A good kick-start to the season.”