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Mets Opening Day included a fitting baseball circle-of-life moment.
Rookie outfielder Carson Benge, making his Mets regular season debut, brought Citi Field to its feet when he blasted a solo home run in the sixth inning, the first of his major league career, as the Amazin’s rolled to an 11-7 win over the Pirates in a Thursday matinee.
On the call for Audacy Mets Radio was none other than Howie Rose, who is calling his final Opening Day after he announced just days before the season that it would be his last in the broadcasting booth.
Benge, facing Pirates reliever Justin Lawrence, clobbered a first-pitch sweeper, sending it over the right-center field wall on a 105.3 mph line drive.
Rose was on the play-by-play duties in the bottom of the frame and had the call. He didn’t miss a beat.
“First pitch, Benge hits it in the air to right field, fairly deep, [Ryan] O’Hearn back, at the wall and it’s gone!” Rose said. “He hit it off the canopy in the right field bullpen. Carson Benge makes his first major league hit a home run. Congratulations to Carson Benge as he gets an enthusiastic pat on the back from third base coach Tim Leiper, an aggressive fist bump from Francisco Alvarez and they’re waiting to congratulate the kid in the dugout.
“Carson Benge, his first major league knock and homer, and the Mets take a 10-5 lead.”
Benge, the top Mets position player prospect, finished the day by reaching base three times — drawing two walks — and scoring two runs. He also stole his first big league base in the eighth inning.
Rose, who said last week that he “did not arrive at this decision to retire easily,” got to use his signature “Put it in the books!” call in the top of the ninth when reliever Luis Garcia fanned Oneil Cruz for the game’s final out.
English (US)