New York Mets/2006/April

Recap and Highlights
Opening Day. The Mets played host to the Washington Nationals. The starting pitchers were Tom Glavine (0-0) and Livan Hernandez(0-0), and the misty Shea weather did not delay the start of the game. However, a television snafu left a lot of fans at home unable to watch the game. The game was supposed to be broadcast on ESPN and SNY, but ESPN's blackout radius was apparently larger than SNY's coverage zone. Further, SNY apparently neglected to realize that it had priority, and began airing a classic game from Mets history, instead of Opening Day.

Glavine got into trouble in the second inning, giving up back-to-back walks to Alfonso Soriano and Ryan Zimmerman after retiring Nick Johnson on a full-count ground out. Luckily for the Mets, light-hitting Royce Clayton struck out on four pitches, bringing #8 hitter Brian Schneider to the plate. Glavine quickly fell behind, 3-1, but on a 3-2 pitch, got Schneider to ground softly to catcher Paul Lo Duca. The Nats both failed to score any runs and to clear the pitcher's spot in the batting order.

In the top of the third, Livan Hernandez gets the first hit of the game -- and the first of the season against the Mets.

The Mets got their first hit of the season when Xavier Nady made his Mets debut with a single in the bottom of the third. He advanced to second on a fielder's choice by Anderson Hernandez, and then to third when Glavine singled to left. Jose Reyes, first pitch swinging, lined out, but Nady scored off of a single by Lo Duca (Glavine to second). Carlos Beltran grounded out to Clayton to end the inning.

In the top of the 4th, Glavine was again in trouble, walking Nick Johnson and giving up a single to Soriano. His first three pitches to Zimmerman, according to ESPN's GameCast pitch box, look to be strikes (albeit on the corners), but he falls behind 2-1. (The umpire seemed to be calling a lot of borderline pitches as balls, but was at least consistent, as it applied to both pitchers.) Royce Clayton comes through with a sacrifice fly, and the game is knotted at 1-1. Glavine avoided further damage by getting Schneider to ground out to Delgado and Livan Hernandez to fly out to Nady.

And it was Nady's day. With two outs in the bottom of the 4th, Cliff Floyd walked. Nady drove him in with a double to left, and the Mets retook the lead.

Perhaps it was Glavine's too, in a semi-charmed sense. For the third straight inning, Glavine got into trouble (this time, a single to Jose Vidro and to double Jose Guillen), but got away with little to no harm done (struck out Nick Johnson and Soriano). Turnabout is fair play, however; in the bottom of the 5th, Glavine singled, and after a Reyes ground out, a Lo Duca's double brought him to third. Both Carloses popped out to shortstop and Hernandez escaped unscathed.

In the bottom of the sixth, David Wright's solo home run made the game 3-1 Mets.

Aaron Heilman gave up 1 run in two innings in relief of Glavine, but he needed defensive and umpiring help to do it, as Soriano was thrown out at home on a questionable call (to say the least). With Soriano on first, Zimmerman doubled to deep left. Cliff Floyd hit cutoff man Jose Reyes, who in turn relayed to Lo Duca. It appeared at first that Lo Duca tagged Soriano, but replays demonstrated that Lo Duca fumbled the ball. Nevertheless, the umpire called Soriano out at that plate, in part due to a good acting job by Lo Duca.

Billy Wagner tossed a 1-2-3 ninth in his Mets debut for the save, and the Mets won 3-2. Wagner looked dominating but gave up a single to Vidro who tried to turn it into a double. However, he was gunned down at 2nd base to end the game. Wagner entered to the tune "Enter Sandman," creating something of a firestorm amongst Yankee fans who thought that only Mariano Rivera should have good taste in music.

The only lowlight of the day belonged to Carlos Beltran. It did not take long for the boo birds to come out for Beltran. He was 0-4 and stranded runners on base in his last two at bats by striking out and popping up. The Mets fans have seem not to forget the dissapointing 2005 season Beltran had and are not ready for an encore. Beltran hopes that his throw out of Jose Vidro can start off a hot streak

The Mets end the day at 1-0, temporarily the best record in the National League.

It should also be noted that this was the first-ever regular season game broadcast by the Mets' New Cable Network, SNY (www.sny.tv)

April 5
Mets vs. Nationals-Game 2 of season

Brian Bannister vs. John Patterson

7:10 game

Brian Bannister makes his MLB debut tonight as the Mets play their second game of the season. Bannister had an impressive spring allowing where he allowed 2 runs total. He beat out Aaron Heilman for the fifth starter job. He starts tonight because Zambrano had a slight injury in his last spring training appearance. He will make his first start over the weekend. The mets should have the same lineup as they did in the first game of the season.

On Tuesday while appearing on MTV, Cliff Floyd predicted he would hit a home run tonight! Hopefully he will keep his word and the Mets will beat the Nationals for their second win of the season.

Mets strike early as Reyes and Lo Duca reach base to start the bottom of the first. After Beltran and Delgado strike out, Wright comes through hitting an 0-2 pitch into right field to drive in Reyes. Mets lead 1-0.

Bottom of the second. Mets score again as Nady hits a solo homerun. He is now 5-5 as a Met. Meanwhile John Patterson has six strikeouts through 2 innings, although he has allowed 2 runs.

Mets extend their lead in the bottom of the third as Carlos Delgado gets his first Shea curtain call after hitting a two run homer to put the Mets up 4-0.

Bannister retires the Nationals 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth. He has a no-hitter through 4 innings.