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          New York Mets

          Michael Conforto: 'Whole day was like a dream for me'

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterJul 25, 2015, 03:24 AM
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              Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
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          NEW YORK -- On Friday, Michael Conforto officially became the 1,000th New York Mets player with an RBI in his major league debut.

          Conforto started in left field and finished 0-for-3, but he snapped the Mets' 18-inning scoreless drought with a fifth-inning groundout that plated Lucas Duda from third base. The Mets ultimately lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-2 at Citi Field.

          "It was like a dream for me," Conforto said of his debut. "This whole day was like a dream for me. I was just so excited. I had a lot of fun out there. It didn't quite go the way I probably dreamed it, but I think I did a lot of good things out there tonight. I got that first RBI. I felt comfortable out there, so that's the most important thing. It just makes me want to come back tomorrow. I'm excited. I felt good."

          Conforto complimented teammates for his RBI opportunity, which ended up pulling the Mets to 6-1. Duda dunked a double to left field, and Juan Lagares advanced Duda to third base with a groundout. Conforto then brought Duda home with a groundout to second against Dodgers left-hander Ian Thomas, who was making his first major league start.

          "It got set up nicely for me," Conforto said. "Duda dropped that ball in there and got on second base, and Lagares moved him over for me. It was a great opportunity for me. I was fortunate to be there. I just really wanted, at the very least, to score a run for the team and do what I could. Obviously, I wanted to drive him in with a base hit, but I think I did my job there."

          Asked about the speed of the game compared with that of Double-A, from which he was summoned Friday morning, the 22-year-old Conforto said: "It might have sped up on me a little bit in that second at-bat. It felt like I missed a few pitches that were good pitches for me. It's a learning process. You go through those things, and you learn, and you come back out and do it the right way the next time."

          Conforto's family was unable to make it from Seattle to New York in time for his major league debut. The former Pac-12 Player of the Year received the call-up news on short notice, after Michael Cuddyer was placed on the disabled list earlier in the day with a bone bruise below his left kneecap. Conforto's family plans to be in attendance Saturday at Citi Field.

          "I thought he looked good," manager Terry Collins said. "He's got a good stroke. That's the same stroke we saw in spring training. He's got a nice approach, some patience at the plate. I was very pleased with what I saw."