Clay Holmes Struggles With Command in First Mets Start

The birthday boy is supposed to get gifts, not give them out.

Clay Holmes, starting on his 32nd birthday, walked four, hit a batter and took the loss Thursday in the Mets’ 3-1 Opening Day defeat in front of 42,305 fans in Houston. He gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits over 4 2/3 innings.

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“I think the big thing were the walks,” Holmes told reporters after his Mets debut. “I gave them five free passes with the walks and hit by pitch. And you...