Maya Steady, Gee Whiz
Yunesky Maya is an acquired taste: after a rocky first inning — in which Mets first baseman Ike Davis hit one of the longest home runs in the short history of Nationals Park — the highly touted Cuban righthander settled down and pitched steadily through the fifth. But, as nearly every print journalist (and Jim Riggleman) said after the Nats lost 4–1 to the Mets, it was too late.
Maya gave up three runs in the first and one in the second, and Mets rookie Dillon Gee held the Nationals hitless until Willie Harris broke up the no-hit bid with a home run. The damage was done early, and the Nationals' offense could not climb back.
Maya, who signed a four-year, $6 million contract with Washington in July, showed flashes of the command that made him a standout in Cuba. After the first-inning shelling, he worked efficiently, mixing a low-90s fastball with a slider and changeup that kept Mets hitters off balance. The recovery was encouraging, even if the final line — four earned runs over five innings — didn't sparkle.
Riggleman acknowledged after the game that Maya's early struggles put the club in a hole, but praised the way he battled through the middle innings. For a pitcher making one of his first big-league starts, the poise after the rough opening was notable.
The comparison to Gee was unavoidable. While Maya labored through the first, Gee cruised — retiring batter after batter until Harris finally broke through. The contrast underscored both the promise and the patience required when breaking in a new arm at the major-league level.