The Mets turned to an opener Saturday afternoon in Tampa Bay, hoping to pull out a bullpen game against the masters of the craft. Drew Smith pitched well in the opener role, but the rest of the bullpen was not able to follow suit as New York fell 12-5 to the Rays.
Smith did allow an unearned run in the first when, with runners on first and third, Tomas Nido’s throwing error on a steal of second allowed Yandy Diaz to score. While the Rays’ traditional starter, Shane McClanahan, looked dominant in the first in striking out the side, the Mets got to him in the second when Jose Peraza launched a hanging slider for a three-run home run in the top of the second—the team’s first three-run home run of the season.