The New York Mets (42-37) defeated the Chicago Cubs (51-28) by a score of 10-2 at Citi Field Friday evening in what was a rain-soaked affair that featured two rain delays. The Nationals won in 14 innings so the Mets will remain 6 games out of first place.
Pitching:
Jacob deGrom was on the hill tonight and he was fantastic. deGrom channeled his inner “late summer 15” and was sitting comfortably at 95 and 96 MPH for most of the game. To make things difficult for deGrom, the elements forced him out of the game for 70 minutes during a delay in the third inning. After Collins made a comment that starters usually don’t return after 45 minutes, deGrom came back out anyway, well past that time frame. The rain would return in the top of the sixth and force deGrom out for good. All in all, deGrom went five innings allowing one run, walking one, and striking out seven.
Kris Bryant hit a long home run off deGrom in the top of the fourth inning, but that would be his only mistake of the night.
In the top of the sixth inning, after the rain stopped the game for the second time, Jerry Blevins came in and pitched a scoreless inning.
Hansel Robles came in for the seventh and gave up an unearned run while fanning two.
Seth Lugo made his major league debut and pitched a scoreless inning in the eighth. Lugo dialed it up as high as 97 mph and showed a couple of nice breaking pitches as well striking Anthony Rizzo out on a wicked curveball.
Collins decided to go to the same well again in the ninth and Lugo was ready pitching a scoreless ninth to shut the door.
Offense:
It’s alive!!
The Met’s got the scoring started in the bottom of the second inning today. James Loney and Asdrubal Cabrera went back to back to give the Mets the early 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Mets offense got right back to work. After a deGrom strikeout and a Brandon Nimmo line out to center field, Neil Walker laced a single into center field. Yoenis Cespedes then followed with a walk. James Loney, who was on fire tonight, crushed a line drive double into the gap to score both Walker and Cespedes to give the Mets a 4-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, after Kelly Johnson struck out, Wilmer Flores got things started with a walk. Travis d’Arnaud then singled to left fielder Kris Bryant to put two runners on. deGrom successfully bunted both runners over to pave the way for Brandon Nimmo to bring them home.
Well, bring them home he did. Nimmo crushed his first major league home run over the right field wall to give the Mets a 7-1 lead. Nimmo just seems like one of those guys whose energy and infectious smile seem to rub off on his teammates.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, with the rain picking up again, the Mets decided they were not done yet. Yoenis Cespedes lead off the inning with a moon shot, his 20th home run of the year to give the Mets an 8-1 lead. James Loney then followed with a single, his third hit of the game. Asdrubal Cabrera followed with the exclamation point bashing his second home run of the night over the right field wall to give the Mets a 10-1 lead before Jason Hammel was finally mercifully pulled.
Notes:
Jose Reyes went 1-4 and 1-2 in both games of a doubleheader tonight in Binghamton.
Juan Lagares is now expected to be activated before Sunday’s game.
The Mets five home runs were the most they have ever hit at Citi Field.
Jacob deGrom received his first win in more than two months!
On Deck:
The Mets will play their third game of a four game series with the Chicago Cubs tomorrow night at Citi Field. The game has a start time of 7:15 PM. Bartolo Colon (6-4, 2.86 ERA) will look to keep the Mets going against righty Jake Arrieta (12-2 2.10 ERA). Arrieta gave up a season high five runs and five walks over five innings his last time out.
