NEW YORK – Noah Syndergaard pitched six sharp innings before leaving with a blister, Asdrubal Cabrera snapped a seventh-inning tie with a single and the New York Mets broke through following a pivotal replay reversal to beat the Atlanta Braves 6-0 in their season opener Monday.
Syndergaard struck out seven in his first opening day start for New York, the only blemish a blister on the top of his right middle finger that ended his outing.
Atlanta starter Julio Teheran throttled the Mets as usual, throwing six scoreless innings before a sellout crowd of 44,384 at Citi Field. But once he was lifted after 96 pitches, New York took advantage of five walks by a shaky Braves bullpen in a six-run bottom of the seventh that lasted 35 minutes.
Curtis Granderson had a sacrifice fly and Lucas Duda busted the game open with a three-run double off ineffective reliever Eric O’Flaherty.
The Mets stopped a six-game home losing streak to Atlanta – the last-place Braves swept their final two series in Queens last year – and improved baseball’s best record on opening day to 36-20.