[Westheim]

Mets (4-3) @ Nationals (4-3)

With a southpaw in Corbin up, the Mets would again try Amed Rosario leading off, despite a sub-par .148/.233/.185 start to his season… not to speak of the shoddy-as-usual defense. But, eh, it was early …!

There was also rain in the forecast for this Saturday game.

NYM: SS Rosario – RF McNeil – 3B Davis – 1B Alonso – LF Conforto – CF Marisnick – 2B Cano – C Lucroy – P Stroman
WAS: RF Eaton – SS T. Turner – LF J. Soto – 1B Thames – 2B A. Cabrera – C Suzuki – CF V. Robles – 3B C. Kieboom – P Corbin

There was no offense to speak of in the early innings; Conforto and Lucroy hit isolated singles for the Metsies, and Corbin randomly hit a double off Stroman, who had retired the first eight batters of the game. The Mets got J.D. Davis on with a leadoff single in the fourth, but again nothing happened after that. A Victor Robles double with one out in the fifth spelled trouble, though. Stroman allowed a single to Kieboom, then couldn’t get through Corbin either, surrendering a sac fly to pretty far deep in leftfield… Eaton walked, Turner singled home a second run, and then Soto grounded out to Cano, ending the inning with the Gnats up 2-0.

The Mets didn’t reach the board until the seventh inning, with Corbin’s 88th pitch of the game tattered out of the park by Michael Conforto, his second homer of the year. When Lucroy reached base with two outs, the Mets sent Wilson Ramos to pinch-hit for Stroman in a desperate attempt to generate offense with the clouds getting ever darker overhead, but Ramos whiffed, and the inning ended for no greater good, the Metropolitans still trailing 2-1.

Dellin Betances retired the 7-8-9 in order in the seventh, with Corbin hitting for himself before adding a scoreless, hapless eighth to the Mets’ ledger. Justin Wilson was in for the bottom 8th, but allowed a leadoff double, a real screamer, to Adam Eaton. Turner bunted, with Alonso handling the ball and firing it to first base … where Old Man Cano had yet to arrive. Pete was charged a 2-base throwing error, Cano would be threatened with being traded to an old folks’ home after the game, but for now Eaton scored and the Gnats had an insurance run. Wilson struck out the next two, walked Asdrubal Cabrera, then yielded for Seth Lugo. Turner, that spotlight-seeking tic, stole third base in a vain attempt at personal glory before Suzuki was retired on an easy fly to Conforto.

That brought on Will Harris for an attempt at saving the 3-1 game starting with Polar Bear Pete, who popped out just like Conforto did two pitches later. Brandon Nimmo hit for Marisnick and singled past Cabrera to keep the Mets alive for Old Man Cano, who got rung up by Harris on fastballs. 3-1 Gnats. Davis 2-4; Conforto 2-4, HR, RBI; Nimmo (PH) 1-1; Lucroy 1-2, BB;

Around the league

SF SP Jeff Samardzija (2-0, 1.50 ERA) allows four hits and strikes out nine in a 5-0 shutout of the Dodgers.

The Orioles win their first game of the season, breaking up STL SP Dakota Hudson (1-1, 3.46 ERA) for five runs in four innings before running away with a 10-4 victory over the Cardinals.

Stats and stuff

The Marlins squeezed a 2-1 win out of the Braves, while the Phillies were rained out against the Brew Crew. They will play a double header on Sunday. The 5-3 Indians and 2-5 Tigers are also rained out.

Back down to .500, the mantra remains that the schedule is much easier after the early barrage of Gnats games, even though we will also play the Braves a ton in April and May – 12 of 19 with them before May’ll be out.

Rosario now batting a solid .129 with a .938 fielding percentage. What a talent. Eye-watering.

Conforto homers bring bad luck. The Mets are 0-2 when he hits one outta here, and have scored an additional zero runs in games he went yard.