But things were the same when Gooden had a miserable opening inning.

Schourek, like countless pitchers before him for the Mets this season, was undermined by poor defense in the opening inning.

Cone put the first round number, a zero, on the scoreboard in the opening inning.

Tonight that meant pitching resiliently in the opening inning after the Braves scored three runs in the top of the first.

He survived an opening inning in which he walked three batters, but escaped thanks to a double play.

Witt, meanwhile, was toying mischievously with the Mariners from the opening inning.

He got a two-run lead in the opening inning, but squandered it by the fourth and was gone.

McGriff humiliated him in the opening inning with a home run that went 438 feet before it was halted by the upper deck.

It was the second time in four days that the Braves hit three straight homers in the opening inning.

The Mets' pitcher, who had done nothing right from the opening inning, ended his day by becoming the perfect metaphor for the team.