New York Mets break out for 11 runs in Opening Day victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates
NEW YORK -- The New York Mets did not disappoint their fans in the team's home opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field on Thursday.
The team pulled off an unlikely feat, scoring five runs in the first inning against Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes, enroute to an 11-7 victory.
Brett Baty laced a bases-loaded triple and the Mets chased Skenes in the first inning of his worst major league start.
Carson Benge homered in his first career game, going back-to-back with Francisco Alvarez at the bottom of a new-look lineup, and Freddy Peralta (1-0) won his Mets debut as New York improved to 42-23 on opening day before a sellout crowd of 41,449.
That's the best record of any big league team - even though the Mets lost their first eight openers from 1962-69.
Brandon Lowe homered twice and fellow Pirates newcomer Ryan O'Hearn also went deep, but Pittsburgh's pitching and defense were dreadful in a disappointing start.
Center fielder Oneil Cruz botched consecutive plays in the first inning, helping the Mets score five runs off a surprisingly ineffective Skenes (0-1), matching his career high. Last year's NL Cy Young Award winner was removed after getting only two outs on 37 pitches in the shortest of his 56 big league starts.
With five new hitters in the order, the Mets ran deep counts early and drew eight walks while batting around twice in the first five innings.
Leadoff man Francisco Lindor took a trio of free passes and scored each time. Luis Robert Jr. had two RBI singles in his Mets debut. Benge and Alvarez launched solo homers off reliever Justin Lawrence to make it 11-5 in the sixth.
Pirates pitchers walked nine overall, surpassing last season's high.
Peralta, a two-time All-Star acquired from Milwaukee in January, struck out seven and walked none over five innings in his third straight opening-day start - all in New York City.
Tobias Myers, obtained from the Brewers in the same trade, followed with three innings of one-run ball.
Pittsburgh opened on the road for the 10th consecutive year in the earliest start to a season for both teams.
With the win on Thursday, the Mets are looking to put the disappointing end to last season behind them.
Following a day off on Friday, Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (6-15, 4.19 ERA) starts the middle game of the series Saturday against LHP David Peterson (9-6, 4.22).
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