Mets’ new lineup produces win over Cardinals in Mickey Callaway’s managerial debut

When the pageantry yielded to competition — a real, actual baseball game — and the cold drizzle ceased, the Mets showed off what Mickey Callaway contends is his team’s greatest strength: a deep, relentless lineup.

Five Mets had multiple hits, Yoenis Cespedes drove in three runs, and Brandon Nimmo and Adrian Gonzalez reached base four times each as the Mets beat the Cardinals, 9-4, Thursday on Opening Day at Citi Field.

“Obviously, you want to get all the firsts out of the way,” said Callaway, who became the first Mets manager to win his debut since Jeff Torborg in 1992. “We did all of that today.”

Those firsts came during a season opener that was hardly picturesque. It was overcast all game. Temperatures dipped into the 40s, which meant plenty of coats and winter hats in the stands (and dugouts). The Mets announced a sellout crowd of 44,189, the third-highest regular-season total in the ballpark’s 10-year history, though swaths of open seats suggested otherwise.

But it still was Opening Day, and Opening Day is always cherished, especially when it’s your first in the majors. That was the case for Nimmo, the leadoff hitter, who was hit by a pitch and scored in the first inning.

“That first inning was pretty incredible for me,” Nimmo said. “The hair on the back of my neck was standing up. It was awesome. Crossing the plate, the crowd erupted.”

The positive offensive developments were many. Every starting position player reached base. All except Asdrubal Cabrera had at least one hit.

Kevin Plawecki (two walks), who like Nimmo won a spot in the lineup with his preseason performance, and Amed Rosario (two RBIs) each had a pair of hits from the bottom third of the lineup. Nimmo, fresh off a hot spring training, singled twice and walked in addition to the HBP. Gonzalez, fresh off a cold spring training, doubled, singled and walked twice.

“The No. 1 thing for me is game-planning,” Gonzalez said. “I’m a terrible hitter when I have no game plan. That’s why I [was] a terrible hitter in spring training. But once the season starts and I can focus on my pitch and try to execute a game plan, that’s what I feel comfortable with.”

Despite plenty of pop — about six hitters who feasibly could hit double-digit dingers — the Mets had no homers and two doubles. Cespedes’ two singles came on 0-and-2 counts.

Callaway credited hitting coach Pat Roessler with instilling in the hitters a mindset that they don’t need to homer to be successful.

“[Roessler] is about as thorough as can be,” Callaway said. “He wants all of our guys to be an all-around hitter, not just be a one-facet guy. Go up there and swing for the fences is not going to work.”

St. Louis righthander Carlos Martinez aided that strong showing with a poor outing. He struggled with his command (six walks, 54 strikes in 90 pitches) and didn’t make it through the fifth.

Multiple Mets noted that Martinez is emotional on the mound, so they were looking to take advantage.

“The wheels can start falling off just a little bit sometimes,” Jay Bruce said. “You have to let it happen in a lot of ways. Stick to your approach and capitalize on mistakes.”

The game seesawed — Mets lead, Cardinals lead, Mets lead, tie game — until the fifth, when the Mets scored five runs.

Gonzalez chased Martinez (4 1⁄3 innings, five runs) with a double into the rightfield corner. Three straight singles to left by Rosario, Nimmo and Cespedes brought in the other three runs.

Noah Syndergaard, the first Mets pitcher to start consecutive season openers since Johan Santana (2008-10), gave up two home runs, including one by Yadier Molina on a 98-mph fastball up and in. Molina hit it off the leftfield foul pole.

Syndergaard’s line: six innings, six hits, four runs, no walks, 10 strikeouts. That’s good for an only-this-early combo of a 1.00 WHIP and 6.00 ERA, plus a strikeout-to-walk ratio of infinity.

Pedro Martinez (2005) is the only other Met to record double-digit strikeouts on Opening Day.

Thursday was only one game. They’ll do it again Saturday and Sunday against the Cardinals and 159 times after that. But for at least a day — plus the off day Friday — the 2018 Mets are perfect.

“You get a blank canvas every year. There’s a lot of optimism, a lot of hope,” Bruce said. “As far as this room goes, there’s a ton of talent here, too. If we can stay healthy and continue to pull from the same end of the rope all year, we’re going to be in good shape.”