Colorado’s Opener Is Rocky One : Baseball: In front of former commissioner Vincent, sellout Shea Stadium crowd, Gooden shuts out expansion team in its debut.

NEW YORK — The Colorado Rockies accomplished a lot of firsts in their major league debut Monday. Winning or scoring wasn’t one of them.

The Rockies lost their first game, 3-0, to the New York Mets as Dwight Gooden pitched a four-hitter to spoil Don Baylor’s first game as manager.

“I thought it was a good day all the way around except we lost,” Baylor said. “The reports we got said Gooden was not throwing well. That’s not true.”

Colorado’s first hit came at 2:38 p.m. EDT when Andres Galarraga singled hard to left field. But after the Rockies loaded the bases in the third inning, Galarraga struck out to end the threat.

Gooden, only 10-13 last season while making a comeback from shoulder surgery, retired 17 consecutive batters before Dante Bichette singled with one out in the ninth.

It was his first shutout since June 15, 1991--a string of 44 games. “To be honest,” Gooden said, “I didn’t realize it was that many in a row. But I feel good now that I know.”

Colorado starter David Nied became the first Rockies pitcher to lose a game, giving up two runs, six hits and six walks in five innings. Nied was the first selection in the expansion draft last Nov. 17 out of the Atlanta organization.

“I’m not disappointed I gave up two runs in five innings,” the right-hander said. “I’m very, very disappointed we lost our first game.”

A capacity crowd of 53,127 showed up at Shea Stadium to see the Mets’ opener and the Rockies’ debut.

Former commissioner Fay Vincent threw out the ceremonial first pitch and the Mets honored New York Jets defensive end Dennis Byrd, partially paralyzed from the neck down last December in a collision with a teammate.

Byrd is now walking with the aid of a cane and appeared on the field before the game.