Mets flat in home opener
Strasburg shackles weary N.Y. lineup, bests Syndergaard
Without much time to rest up for their home opener, the New York Mets were no match for Stephen Strasburg.
A pinpoint Strasburg outpitched Noah Syndergaard, rookie Victor Robles homered for Washington’s only hit until the ninth inning and the Nationals beat the drowsy Mets 4-0 on Thursday.
“Just executing the game plan. I think the biggest thing is never taking a pitch off,” Strasburg said.
Following a 5-1 trip to start the season, the Mets got back to New York after 2 a.m. in the wake of a 6-4 victory at Miami. They were even held up about 30-45 minutes postgame Wednesday night while Dominic Smith chugged enough water to be able to complete a drug test.
But about 11 hours after arriving in Queens in the middle of the night, they were back on the field again — and their lineup looked sleepy while striking out 14 times.
“I don’t think we were in the proper situation to win a ballgame based on the rest of the guys’ sleep and travel,” said Syndergaard, who traveled to New York ahead of his teammates.
He would have preferred
a day game Wednesday in Miami or a night game Thursday at home.
“That would have been nice,” Syndergaard said.
Wilmer Difo drove in two runs, and Washington’s struggling bullpen shined after Strasburg (1-0) struck out nine in 62/3 innings. Working with a 91-94 mph fastball rather than the 98-99 mph heat he used to bring, the 30-year-old righty kept the ball off the barrel and walked just one.
Up against Syndergaard for the second time in six days, Strasburg took a one-hitter into the seventh before giving up consecutive singles with two outs.
Matt Grace threw a called third strike past pinch-hitter J.D. Davis, then Justin Miller and Tony Sipp combined to whiff three in a hitless eighth. Sean Doolittle completed the four-hitter, making Strasburg 8-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 11 starts at Citi Field.
The only hit Syndergaard (0-1) allowed in six innings was Robles’ leadoff homer in the sixth. He struck out six, walked two and lost for the first time in his past eight decisions at home.
The sellout crowd of 44,424 was the second-largest for a regular-season game at Citi Field.
“I thought it was good energy. I think you’ve got to give credit to their pitcher. Great pitcher,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “He was executing pitches at the bottom of the zone, keeping us off kilter, and they just beat us.”
Anthony Rendon doubled against Seth Lugo to start the ninth and scored on Ryan Zimmerman’s sacrifice f ly. Difo, who delivered a safety squeeze in the second, added an RBI single off Tim Peterson.
Wilson Ramos’ leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth was the first hit of the game, although Washington had already been handed a run. Syndergaard walked the first two batters in the second, and both moved up on a wild pitch. Juan Soto scored without a play when Syndergaard went to first with Difo’s sacrifice bunt.
Tebow’s Triple-a debut
Former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow went 0-for-4 on Thursday in Syracuse, where he made his Triple-a debut for the Mets’ top minor league affiliate, which lost to the Pawtucket Red Sox 6-3 in 10 innings. Tebow struck out twice and grounded out twice. Tebow hit .273 with six homers and 36 RBIS in 84 games at Double-a last season.