NEW YORK _ The prospect of a spoiled evening loomed. It was not enough that Dinelson Lamet was scheduled to face major league hitters. An undefeated foe threatened to deprive him of the chance.
In the opposing clubhouse, the New York Mets bowed to Mother Nature. Forecasts called for thunderstorms beginning around 9 p.m. Jacob deGrom was scratched, avoiding the risk of a shortened start.
As it turned out, the worst weather never arrived. Lamet did.
Those who braved the wind and the rain Thursday at Citi Field witnessed a tantalizing introduction. Lamet, one of the Padres' top prospects, fanned eight batters over five innings. He became the first San Diego pitcher to strike out at least that many in his major league debut since Bob Shirley in 1977. Forty years later, a tall right-hander held the Mets to one run in a 4-3 victory.
Lamet took the mound with a 2-0 lead and proceeded to bowl over the first batter. Michael Conforto, a leading candidate for National League Player of the Month, struck out on three pitches. The last registered at 98 mph.
A lineout and a popout followed. After a groundout in the bottom of the second, Lucas Duda punished a mistake. A fastball over the heart of the plate turned into a home run to right-center.
The next batter, Wilmer Flores, went down flailing at an 87-mph slider.
The forecasts that Lamet has the capability to overwhelm major league hitters had proven accurate. His fastball sat in the mid-90s, including in his final inning. His slider swept across the zone. He utilized his change-up, his least developed pitch, to punch out the final two batters in the fifth.
Lamet allowed just two hits besides Duda's solo shot. He issued a pair of walks. Neither came back to bite him. Of his 91 pitches, 61 were strikes. Conforto whiffed in all three of their encounters.
The opposing starter could not keep pace. Rafael Montero, who was told he would replace deGrom around 3:45 p.m., ceded three runs over as many innings.
The Padres loaded the bases in the first. Cory Spangenberg singled in a run. Matt Szczur walked, bringing in another.
Szczur singled in the third. Hunter Renfroe, who had led off with a double, touched home plate, stamping a 3-1 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, Lamet was buoyed by his defense. On a double to left, Allen Cordoba retrieved the ball and zipped it to the cutoff man, shortstop Chase d'Arnaud, who in turn fired another strike. A runner was cut down at the plate.
Duda notched an RBI single in the eighth. The Mets had pulled to within a run.
The previous margin was restored in the ninth. Spangenberg doubled to score Cordoba.
Brad Hand, who on Wednesday logged his first save of the season, reappeared in the ninth. Juan Lagares drew a one-out walk. Conforto, who had struck out a fourth time, delivered a single. With runners on the corners, Jose Reyes collected an RBI groundout.
Hand induced a popout, sealing the win.
