Remembering Mets Opening Days of the Past: 2013 Mets Romp Padres

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Rusty Staub Tosses Out 2013 First Pitch
The Mets began the 2013 season with Mets legend Rusty Staub throwing out the ceremonies; first pitch.

With Johan Santana down with injury, Mets Manager; Terry Collins gave Jonathon Niese the Opening Day start. 41,053 came to Citi Field to see the Mets take on Bud Black's San Diego Padres, as Edison Volquez took the mound vs. Niese.

The line up featured the latest Mets Marlon Byrd signed via free agency & John Buck, who came over in the R.A. Dickey Trade. Another new face was Colin Cowgill, another player Terry Collins inserted in an Opening Day line up (ala Brad Emus) who would not be on the club for too long.

The 2013 Mets starting line up was:
Colin Cowgill CF
Daniel Murphy 2B
David Wright 3B
Ike Davis 1B
Marlon Byrd RF
Lucas Duda LF
John Buck C
Ruben Tejada SS
Jonathon Niese P

In the home 2nd, John Buck drew a two out walk, Ruben Tejada then doubled bringing in Buck & Jon Niese singled home run number two, 2-0 Mets. In the top of the 3rd, the Padres got a run on Carlos Quentin's RBI single.

In the home 3rd, David Wright singled & stole second. He advanced to third on a ground out & then scored on Marlon Byrd's base hit. Lucas Duda walked & John Buck singled, bringing in the Mets fourth run. 4-1 New York.



In the 4th, the Mets struck again. Niese walked & Cowgill doubled. Daniel Murphy drove in Niese with a single. A slow groundout to third by David Wright scored Cowgill with the sixth Mets run. After Ike Davis struck out, Marlon Byrd singled again, driving in Murph to make it 7-1 Mets. In the home 7th, Colin Cowgill added a three run HR, capping off the 11-2 Mets victory.

Niese gave up a lead off HR in the 6th but that was all he surrendered. In 6.2 innings he allowed 2 runs on 4 hits 2 walks & 4 strike outs earning the win. Brandon Lyon finished out the 7th. Scott Atchison came in for a scoreless 8th & Scott Rice closed it out for the Mets first win.

The Mets are one of the most successful opening day clubs in the history of the game. The rest of the season had them finish 74-88 in third place. It was th clubs seventh losing season in a row.

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