Return to Citi on high note
ATLANTA — The Mets needed a little team building on Sunday. They got it just in time for the home opener Monday at Citi Field.
After being suckerpunched by the news of Jenrry Mejia’s 80game steroid suspension, the Mets needed to show that the selfish act was not going to send them into a funk.
They could not afford to be swept away by the Braves Sunday and limp home at 24 even if they are getting ready to play the lowly Phillies. The Mets spent all of spring training and the first week of the season away from home, saying they are not like Mets’ teams of the recent past.
They believe there is more talent and a new inner toughness to this team.
Michael Cuddyer proclaimed Sunday’s game was one the Mets had to win, and then hit a tworun home run in the first inning, his first in a Mets uniform. Bartolo Colon, of all people, dumped an RBI single in the fourth and pinchhitter Daniel Murphy lifted a goahead sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Then the emergency bullpen settled the matter as the Mets came away with a 43 win over the Braves at Turner Field. “This was an important win,’’ Cuddyer said. “It’s only Game 6 of the season but at the same time all we could control today was salvaging the series. Now we’re going home where we’re getting cheered — for a change.’’ These Mets are desperate for cheers.
The Mets have already had two openers, the regularseason opener in Washington and the Braves home opener Friday. They are finally home. Matt Harvey used one word to describe Monday’s opener: “Exciting.”
Just wait until Tuesday when the Dark Knight rises again in Gotham.
All along, the Mets have known New York is there for the taking this year as the Yankees are an aging team with big holes. The Mets cannot afford to let this opportunity pass them by.
“This win was really important for us,’’ manager Terry Collins said. “It’s nice to come home on a good note. We’ve had a long trip, a long spring. It’s time to get home to get it started.’’
A home opener is really when the season starts, and the Mets have put themselves in position at 33 to make the most of this 10game homestand, followed by the Subway Series weekend in The Bronx.
This is a 16game run within the division and Collins is happy with some of the things he has seen already — especially the pitching.
“With what’s happened in the bullpen those guys just stepped up and gave us big outs,’’ Collins said. “We just have to get the offense kicked in.’’ They sure do. The Mets are hitting .210. Their slugging percentage is .277 and the onbase percentage is .286.
ShortstopWilmer Flores has had his issues, but he doubled in the fourth and scored on Colon’s hit.
“He’s trying way too hard,’’ Collins said of Flores, “but that was a good hit for him and for us. We’ve got to get him going. He’s not out there to be [ Braves defensive wizard] Andrelton Simmons. He’s out there because he can swing that bat.
“When he gets hot, we are going to look like a different team.’’
Along the way Sunday, the Mets found out just what kind of weapon they have in lefthanded reliever Jerry Blevins, who pitched an inning to get a hold, striking out Nick Markakis and Mets killer Freddie Freeman while Jeurys Familia got the final two outs for his first save of the season.
Familia will be key to the Mets success. He said he approached the ninth inning just like any other inning. By getting those last two outs he enabled the Mets to exhale as a team.
Citi Field has never been the kindest home to the Mets. The hitters know they are heading to a most difficult location, but at least they are home and will be cheeredMonday.
It’s up to the Mets to finally make this field and this city their home again.