Mets Explode For 15 Runs; Beat Dodgers In Lee's Debut
NEW YORK (AP) — As New York Mets starter Matt Harvey was standing on second base following his fifth-inning RBI double, Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Jimmy Rollins approached him with a simple question.
"I asked him 'When did they decide to score all those runs for you,'" Rollins said. "He just kind of laughed and said 'It's been a while.' It was one of those nights, it was the Mets night, no doubt about it, no doubt about it."
After going hitless in his debut one night earlier, Michael Conforto went 4 for 4 for his first big league hits and Kelly Johnson homered into the upper deck in his Mets' debut, powering New York past the Dodgers 15-2 on Saturday night.
Lucas Duda homered twice for the Mets in their highest-scoring game since April 2013, and their biggest run total ever against the Dodgers.
Slumping at the plate most of the season, the Mets erupted for 21 hits, their most since 2010.
"Babe Ruth could have come and tried to get those boys out but it wasn't going to happen, not tonight," Rollins added. "They didn't really miss pitches, they were barreled, loud, good thing for us, it was only one loss."
Zach Lee (0-1) was tagged in his major league debut, allowing four runs in the first inning. He gave up seven runs and 11 hits in 4 2-3 innings after being pressed into starting duty.
"I didn't think he was that bad," manager Don Mattingly said. "I thought he was kind of getting better as it went along."
Lee pitched while the Dodgers reshuffled their rotation. All-Star ace Zack Greinke was scheduled to pitch Friday night, but returned to Los Angeles to be with his wife for the birth of their first child.
On Sunday, Greinke starts with a shutout streak of 43 2-3 innings.
Conforto got up with the bases loaded in the first inning. With one run already in, he hit a grounder off Lee's glove and beat the throw to first for an RBI single — after crossing the bag, he glanced back to verify that first base umpire Manny Gonzalez had called him safe, and appeared to smile after confirming so.
"That's kind of me trying to be too much of an athlete," Lee said. "Not necessarily knowing what the defense is behind me. I let that ball go, we're out of that inning with probably with one run and limit the damage."
Duda homered twice in a game for the third time this season. Ruben Tejada added three hits.
Rookie Joc Pederson hit his 21st home run and had three hits and Rollins homered for the third straight day against the Mets.
Conforto, doubled twice, walked and scored four runs. Kirk Nieuwenhuis got four hits and drove in four runs and Daniel Murphy homered with three RBIs.
"He's a good looking hitter," Mets manager Terry Collins said of Conforto. "When you look at him, he hits the ball all over the field. He's got plate discipline. He laid off a couple of good pitches. Obviously he's got a very good eye."
Johnson got two hits and Juan Uribe had one, a day after the Mets acquired them in a trade with Atlanta.
Harvey (9-7) doubled, singled and pitched seven innings as the Mets ended a three-game losing streak.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: 1B Adrian Gonzalez was a late addition to the lineup, dealing with neck stiffness. After taking batting practice, Gonzalez was inserted into the batting order, replacing Alberto Callaspo. ... OF Yasiel Puig (rest) got in as a pinch-hitter. He's expected to return to the lineup Sunday.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: Greinke (9-2, 1.30 ERA) will be activated from the paternity list to start. Wife Emily gave birth to son Bode Nicholas on Thursday night. Greinke traveled back to New York on Saturday. Greinke is 3-1 lifetime against the Mets. He is approaching the major league record of 59 scoreless innings by Orel Hershiser in 1988 for the Dodgers.
MAKING MOVES
Following the game, the Dodgers optioned pitchers Josh Ravin and Chin-hui Tsao to Triple-A Oklahoma City. The team said corresponding moves would be announced before Sunday's game.
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