MIAMI – Kodai Senga barely survived the first inning of his major league debut Sunday and then mysteriously – with the help of a ghost or several – transformed into untouchable.
The Marlins were left flailing at the Japanese right-hander’s ghost forkball, striking out seven times on that pitch alone.
The Mets used that strong performance from Senga in rolling to a 5-1 victory at loanDepot park that gave them a series win to start the season.
Senga lasted 5 1/3 innings and allowed one earned run on three hits with eight strikeouts and three walks before the Mets bullpen went into lockdown mode, continuing a dominant stretch for that unit.
It wasn’t easy for Senga, who threw 36 pitches in the first inning as he struggled with control.
Jorge Soler hammered an RBI double after Luis Arraez opened the game with a single, and Senga walked Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Avisail Garcia later in the inning.
Kodai Senga pitches against the Marlins in the first inning at loanDepot Park. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConBut Yuli Gurriel threw his bat at strike three for Senga’s first major league strikeout and suddenly the tide shifted.
Jesus Sanchez struck out and Jon Berti flied out, leaving Senga on a course to record the win.
Over the next 4 1/3 innings he allowed only one hit and one walk with six strikeouts.
He threw his ghost forkball 26 times and received 14 swings on the pitch, nine of which were swings and misses.
Tomas Nido and Stephen Nogosek celebrate after defeating the Marlins.Getty ImagesHis four-seam fastball topped out at 99 mph (first pitch of the game) and averaged 96.8 mph.
Senga’s eight strikeouts were tied for third-most by a Mets pitcher in his major league debut.
Matt Harvey holds the record with 11 and Collin McHugh is second with nine.
Jeff McNeil is safe at first base after Miami Marlins first baseman Yuli Gurriel dropped the ball during the first inning.APTommy Pham provided most of the offensive juice for the Mets with a three-hit, three-RBI performance that included his first homer with his new team.
On the bullpen front, Dennis Santana, John Curtiss and Stephen Nogosek combined to throw 3 2/3 shutout innings.
The Mets benefited from Miami’s sloppy play in taking a 2-0 first-inning lead.
Gurriel dropped the relay throw at first base on what should have been an inning-ending double play before Pete Alonso and Mark Canha walked in succession against Trevor Rogers.
Tommy Pham hits a home run against the Marlins during the fifth inning.Getty ImagesJeff McNeil followed with a squib that Rogers fielded, and his flip to first base arrived simultaneously with McNeil.
The ball hit McNeil’s midsection and rolled away, allowing two runners to score.
Pham’s two-run homer in the fourth extended the Mets’ lead to 4-1.
Tim Locastro, the No. 9 hitter, was plunked by a pitch before Pham cleared the fence in left-center for his second hit of the afternoon – he singled leading off the game.
