The New York Mets get by the Atlanta Braves 1-0 on Opening Day

The New York Mets defeated the Atlanta Braves on Thursday afternoon by the score of 1-0. The Mets are pretty much a guarantee on Opening Day as they have won 33 out of their last 44 on Opening Day. Johan Santana started for the Mets and they brought a fully healthy team to the game. They didn’t end up with the same team as Andres Torres had to leave the game with a strained calf. Santana pitched well and the bullpen pitched very well. The offense only produced one run but David Wright, Daniel Murphy and Josh Thole each had two hits. 
Santana pitched five innings giving up two hits and no runs. He walked two and struck out five. Ramon Ramirez got the win pitching 1 1/3 innings giving up two hits and a walk, Tim Byrdak pitched 2/3 of an inning and struck out both batters that he faced and Jon Rauch pitched a perfect inning. Frank Francisco saved his first game in his first game with the Mets. He pitched a perfect inning, striking out a batter. Tommy Hanson also pitched five innings. Hanson for the Braves gave up four hits and one run with three walks and four strikeouts. He took the loss and the bullpen pitched three good innings for them. The bullpen gave up three hits and a walk without allowing a run.

Andres Torres drew a walk, Scott Hairston had a hit and Murphy had two hits. Wright had two hits, an RBI and a walk, Jason Bay drew a walk and Thole had two hits. Ruben Tejada drew a walk and Murphy had a double. The Mets were 1-9 with runners in scoring position and they left eight men on base. Torres was picked off of first base. The Braves managed four hits and three walks. They didn’t have a batter who had more then one hit.

In the fifth the Braves had the bases loaded and two outs. Michael Bourn grounded out to Santana to end the inning. In the sixth inning the Braves had first and second one out and the next two batters got out. The Mets broke through in the sixth inning with a run. Torres walked, Murphy singled pushing Torres to third and Wright hit an RBI single. The Mets next three hitters were retired. In the top of the seventh inning Tyler Pastornicky tripled with one out and then the next two Braves struck out. There were no other good chances in the game.

The Mets are 1-0 and the Braves 0-1. The two teams will take off on Friday and resume their series on Saturday afternoon at 1:10PM. R.A. Dickey will face off against Jair Jurrjens.