Mar 30, 2019 5 min read

Pete Alonso and the rest of these new-look Mets are playing just how the club had hoped.

It’s just two games, of course, but 2-0 is better than 0-2 – which is where the Washington Nationals are as they adjust to life without Bryce Harper.

Alonso contributed three hits, two RBIs and a pair of nifty stretch plays at first base in Game 2 of his major league career, and fellow youngsters J.D. Davis, Jeff McNeil and Dominic Smith all played a part in lifting the Mets past the Nationals 11-8 on Saturday.

“We kind of figured that would be the case – that these guys were going to come up and contribute. That’s one of the reasons we wanted them on the team or we went and acquired those guys,” second-year manager Mickey Callaway said. “We saw that talent and knew they would be impactful players. They definitely came through today.”

Davis delivered a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning, Smith also drove in a pair of runs and so did McNeil, who had four hits in front of a crowd that featured pockets of New York fans chanting “Let’s go, Mets!” and “Where is Harper?”

Smith is 23, Alonso 24, Davis 25 and McNeil 26.

None debuted earlier than 2017.

“You’ve got (Alonso) trying to knock down outfield walls. J.D.’s making great plays behind me. And Jeff McNeil is hitting the ball all over the yard,” Mets starter Noah Syndergaard said. “It’s fun to watch. I look forward to a lot more of that this season.”

Alonso’s first game in the majors came Thursday on opening day.

“This is the most fun I’ve had playing baseball,” he said. “I feel blessed, and I’m living the dream right now. I’m just having a blast out there.”

Another offseason acquisition by agent-turned-GM Brodie Van Wagenen, closer Edwin Diaz, picked up his second save with one pitch by getting Kurt Suzuki to fly out with a man on in the ninth after Seth Lugo let a seven-run lead shrink to three.

Much earlier, Syndergaard and Stephen Strasburg, left with identical lines: six innings, four runs, seven hits. This one came down to the bullpens, and while neither fared that well, Washington’s rebuilt version really flopped.

Justin Wilson (1-0) threw a perfect seventh to earn the win. Otherwise, it was an adventure out there.

Nationals reliever Trevor Rosenthal (0-1) was booed off the mound in his return from Tommy John surgery after entering a 4-all game in the eighth and allowing all four batters he faced to reach base.

Philadelphia 8, Atlanta 6: Bryce Harper homered deep into the second deck in right-center field for his first hit with Philadelphia and celebrated with an emphatic curtain call, highlighting the Phillies’ 8-6 win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

Hitless over five at-bats this season after signing a $330 million, 13-year deal, Harper crushed Jesse Biddle’s fastball 465 feet with two outs in the seventh. Fans gave Harper a standing ovation and chanted “MVP! MVP!”

After getting high fives in the dugout, Harper climbed out for a curtain call, throwing both fists in the air and shouting “Let’s go!”

Maikel Franco and J.T. Realmuto also went deep for Philadelphia. The game was tied at 4 in the fifth when Realmuto lined a two-run drive off Wes Parsons (0-1).

Baltimore 5, N.Y. Yankees 3: Brandon Hyde earned his first win as Baltimore’s manager when slow-footed catcher Jesus Sucre was aggressive on the bases to score the go-ahead run, then added three late RBIs.

Jimmy Yacabonis (1-0) allowed one run over three innings for his first win since September 2017. Mike Wright struck out Miguel Andujar with two on for his first pro save in nine seasons.

Cleveland 2, Minnesota 1: Greg Allen hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning, then Cleveland reliever Brad Hand escaped a bases-loaded jam. It was 34 degrees for the start at Target Field.

Hand retired C.J. Cron on a flyball to end it for a save, completing a combined two-hitter.

Toronto 3, Detroit 0: Aaron Sanchez and four relievers combined to pitch Toronto’s second straight shutout.

The Blue Jays threw just three shutouts all of last season, the second fewest in the majors. Detroit was last with two.

The Tigers were blanked an MLB-leading 18 times in 2018. They’ve scored in only one of 28 innings so far this season.

Kansas City 8, Chicago White Sox 6: Jorge Soler had three hits and three RBIs, Alex Gordon scored three runs despite not getting a hit and Kansas City used its speed to win.

Billy Hamilton got three hits and scored twice for the speedy Royals, off to a 2-0 start for the first time since their World Series-winning season in 2015.

The first pitch was delayed 30 minutes because of rain. When the game began, it was 38 degrees and felt like 28, whipped by 18 mph winds.

Jakob Junis (1-0) gave up Jose Abreu’s three-run homer. Ian Kennedy pitched the ninth for the first save of his career.