Johan Santana throws five scoreless innings, David Wright drives in game-winning win run in NY Mets’ 1-0 win over Braves

For all of the talk of Opening Day optimism, for all of the inspiration they hope to draw from honoring former star Gary Carter this season and for all of the reconfigurations made to their home park, the true significance of the Mets' first game of the 2012 season largely revolved around one person.

Johan Santana made his first start in nearly 19 months on Thursday, and the Mets could not have expected more from their erstwhile ace in his long-awaited comeback from shoulder surgery in September of 2010.

Santana didn't factor in the decision in the Mets' 1-0 win over the Braves at reshaped Citi Field, but the returning lefty had enough of a fastball - consistently in the upper 80s - to uplift a fan base in tossing 84 pitches over five shutout innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out five.


PHOTOS: METS WIN OPENER AGAINST BRAVES, 1-0

Of course, the news wasn't all favorable for the Mets, as new centerfielder Andres Torres pulled up on Tyler Pastornicky's one-out triple in the seventh, aggravating the left-calf injury that sidelined him late in spring training.

David Wright went 2-for-3 with a walk and drove in the lone run for the Mets with an RBI single off Braves starter Tommy Hanson in the sixth.

Ramon Ramirez, acquired with Torres from San Francisco for Angel Pagan, threw 1 1/3 of the four scoreless innings of relief by the Mets revamped bullpen.

Lefty specialist Tim Byrdak struck out both batters he faced after Pastornicky's triple in the seventh, newcomer Jon Rauch worked a 1-2-3 eighth and imported closer Frank Francisco pitched a perfect ninth to complete the five-man shutout and notch his first save with the Mets.

During pre-game introductions, Jason Bay (0-for-3) and Mike Pelfrey heard the loudest boos, while Santana received the liveliest ovation as he warmed in the bullpen. The Mets also honored Carter, the Hall of Famer and '80s Mets catcher who died in February from brain cancer, with his family unveiling a "Kid 8" logo along the new blue outfield wall in left-center.

Terry Collins projected a pitch count of "85-to-95" for Santana, who allowed just a one-out single in the first to Martin Prado on 58 pitches over the first four innings.

But the two-time Cy Young winner labored after recording his third straight strikeout with a whiff of Freddie Freeman to open a 26-pitch fifth. Matt Diaz ripped a one-out double to right-center and Santana issued two out walks to Pastornicky and Hanson to load the bases.

But after falling into his third straight full count, the lefty retired Michael Bourn on a comebacker to end the threat, leaving to the customary sounds of Santana's "Smooth" and a standing ovation from the home crowd.

Hanson matched zeroes with Santana through five, but he walked Torres to open the sixth and Daniel Murphy followed with a single to right, his second hit. Wright then pulled a run-scoring single to left, and Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez pulled Hanson for righty Kris Medlen, who retired Ike Davis, Bay and Lucas Duda to avoid further damage.