Mets fans had a look at just about every relief pitcher on the roster on Opening Day. Few of them looked any good.
Bobby Parnell blew the save with two outs in the ninth, and Jeurys Familia gave up the go-ahead run as the Nationals triumphed, 9-7, in 10 innings yesterday at Citi Field.
Familia (0-1) was charged two earned runs in the 10th, but it was John Lannan who served up a three-run homer to Washington’s Anthony Rendon.
Lannan chalked up his struggles to pitch selection.
“I just gotta make sure I do what I do,” Lannan said. ” … Starting or relieving, I can’t become a different pitcher.”
New Met Jose Valverde was the only bright spot for the bullpen. He struck out three of the four batters he faced.
Valverde came on after both Carlos Torres and Scott Rice walked consecutive batters on four pitches in the seventh. Manager Terry Collins was most surprised by Torres’ struggles.
“This guy is a strike-throwing machine,” he said.
Starter Dillon Gee was assessed four earned runs — two in the seventh, one of which was walked in by Rice — over 62/3 innings.
It wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Mets. Andrew Brown, Juan Lagares and David Wright each homered.
“It was an amazing feeling,” said Brown, whose home run came on his first at-bat of the season.
