The Mets righty mowed through the opposing lineup as if he was desperate for a good dinner in Chicago, for which his team departed Sunday after snatching a series victory over the Phillies. DeGrom allowed just one hit in New York’s 5-0 victory over Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday afternoon. It was the 16th homer of the season for the NY second baseman, tying his mark for all of last season and drew loud cheers from the large contingent of Mets fans who made Citizens Bank Park sound more like Citi Field at times with their chants of “Let’s go Mets!”
Advertisement
Stats: DeGrom is 4-0 vs. the Phillies and the Mets have won all seven of his starts against them.
“I didn’t have my best stuff today, but I was able to battle and limit the damage”, he said.
Zach Eflin was the losing pitcher for the Phillies.
The Mets appeared primed to take the lead in the top of the seventh, but pinch-hitter Kelly Johnson flied out to short left field with runners on second and third and one out before left fielder Cody Asche made an excellent sliding catch for the final out on Asdrubal Cabrera’s sinking liner with the bases loaded. For the first time in his career, deGrom threw a complete game shutout, as he dominated the Phillies easily on Sunday.
“I was hoping that I’d have one like this, where you go out there, you feel like everything’s working”, said deGrom, who is 6-4 with a 2.38 ERA.
Was deGrom tortured by Eflin’s single as the innings progressed? This guy has pitched enough good games for us as a starting pitcher that we think he’s got good innings left in him.
To deGrom, part of his brilliance tied back into his decision to skip the All-Star Game and instead use that time to rest. He was at 89 entering the ninth and retired the side in order. Eickhoff is still 6-10 on the year but owns a 3.76 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 19 starts. Overall, he’s 2-2 with a 4.08 ERA. Mets manager Terry Collins wanted to select deGrom as a replacement starter, but deGrom, who told Collins he felt beat, wanted to lay low.
“There was all that concern about (deGrom’s) velocity and everything else early but he’s gotten a little stronger and a little stronger and he showed the rest did him good”. It really did, so we saw better command today and probably his best sinker he’s had all year, so just a great, well-pitched game. “He knows when he’s got to make a pitch, he makes it”. “You go out there every five days and it’s a lot of throwing”. “Taking some time off and resetting and getting ready to go after this in the second half (helped)”. He lasted six innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs, striking out two and walking two.
New York Mets’ Jacob deGrom pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, July 17, 2016, in Philadelphia. DeGrom did not allow another base runner to reach until he walked Ryan Howard to start the eighth, but he erased him with an inning-ending double play.
Advertisement
The Mets also need to score some runs, and again Saturday night, Juan Lagares helped them do that. Lagares then belted a RBI triple to right field, scoring James Loney to open the scoring.
