Mets seek fresh start, but Royals serve them an unwanted reminder

The Mets said all the right things. They insisted they had moved on from a World Series defeat — that after a long offseason, they had turned their attention to a new year.

But a trip to Kansas City offered a reminder of the past.

And before the first inning was completed in their 4-3 loss Sunday, their performance had provided another one.

In the bottom of the first inning, Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas lifted a fly ball — a seemingly routine out — into left field. Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes stuck his glove into the air, only to watch the ball skim off his leather and onto the grass.

Sounds familiar, right?

The play was reminiscent of the Royals’ opening batter of last year’s Fall Classic, when Alcides Escobar turned Matt Harvey’s first pitch into an inside-the-park home run. The homer was aided by a misplay in center field from Cespedes.

“They’re a good team. You can’t give them too many opportunities,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “We know they’re tough to beat. You can’t give them runs.”

It was a familiar outing for Harvey. The 2015 season ended on a sour note when the Mets lost both of his starts in the World Series.

But the 2016 season didn’t start much better.

Harvey lasted only 5  2/3 innings, giving up four runs (three earned), eight hits and two walks. He struck out only two.

“I wish I could go back and change a few pitches here and there,” Harvey said. “It’s not the ideal way to start the season.”

Which for the Mets, began the way it ended in 2015.

This story was originally published April 3, 2016 at 11:18 PM with the headline "Mets seek fresh start, but Royals serve them an unwanted reminder."