NEW YORK Mickey Callaways first game as manager with the Mets went exactly according to plan.
Yoenis Cespedes drove in three runs and newcomer Adrian Gonzalez hit a go-ahead double to lead Noah Syndergaard and New York past the St. Louis Cardinals 9-4 in their opener Thursday.
Syndergaard (1-0) struck out 10 and walked none in six innings after missing most of last season with a torn lat muscle.
Leadoff man Brandon Nimmo, subbing for injured All-Star Michael Conforto, reached safely four times and scored twice as the Mets chased a furious Carlos Martinez in their five-run fifth inning to make Callaway a winner at sold-out Citi Field.
It feels great, Callaway said. What a ballpark. All of us, the coaches, were sitting there going, Man, this is something special. This is a different place than most.’
The 35-year-old Gonzalez also was on base four times with two hits and two walks in his New York debut. The five-time All-Star first baseman was signed for the major league minimum during the offseason after struggling with a bad back last year with the Dodgers.
Obviously, getting off to a good start is huge, both personally and as a team. I think we accomplished both, he said.
Yadier Molina hit an early two-run homer for St. Louis that clanged off the left-field foul pole. Jose Martinez (3 for 4) also went deep against Syndergaard and knocked in two but committed a run-scoring throwing error at first base.
I was mad at myself not making that play, for sure. I put Carlos in a tough situation right there, Jose Martinez said. I dont feel very happy with my performance, because that play was huge for us.
St. Louis has Friday off before resuming the series against the Mets Saturday.
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