In a game the Mets so desperately needed to win, their star pitcher faltered at the worst time. The team needed to take the first game in San Francisco to get this wretched seven game stretch started on the right foot, the offense did their part but Jacob deGrom was unable to.
After his team provided him with a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning, the Giants came right back against deGrom, which was capped by a two-run bomb from his opposing pitcher, Madison Bumgarner. It was not the pitching duel we all expected but more a slugfest to the finish in which the Giants came out on top.
“It seemed like everything I threw went right down the middle,” said deGrom. “These guys did a great job. Tonight’s on me. I was terrible out there.” (Newsday)
The line was not pretty for deGrom. Five innings of work in which he allowed both career highs in hits with 13 and runs with 8. He walked one on the night while striking out eight. It was the worst performance he has had in his successful major league career. Manager, Terry Collins could not believe what unraveled in front of his eyes.
“You’ve got to say to yourself, in the middle of the game, you’ve got a four-run lead with Jake deGrom,” Collins said. “Your chances of winning the game are good.”
Jake’s record fell to 7-6 on the season as his ERA went up to just 2.73, even after the bombardment of runs allowed. A very tough night for the man who has been their true ace over the last few months of the season.
