Mets Bats Finally Show Up For Jake, Beat Rox in Opener
We like this. We are now having a good time.
That’s how you finally get a road trip started.
Jacob deGrom was impeccable, striking out 14 for the second consecutive outing, fanning nine consecutive Rockies from the second (with two on to start the frame) through the fourth innings.
A folly of misplays in the fifth allowed Colorado to plate three (Jeff McNeil throwing error, Michael Conforto wide throw home), eliminating New York’s early 1-0 lead, but the Mets roared back.
Pete Alonso crushed a solo missile into the left-field bleachers to make it a 3-2 game in the sixth, and the Mets offense came to its full senses in the seventh.
James McCann led off the top of the frame with a base hit. Jonathan Villar added a pinch-hit double into right field to score Albert Almora (running for McCann), Brandon Nimmo singled, and Francisco Lindor shot a base hit into right field to put the Mets ahead 4-3.
Just like that, the stank of RISP deficiencies early are wisping away.
Edwin Diaz was phenomenal in the bottom of the seventh, pitching aggressively high in the zone with obscene velocity, sitting at 99 MPH consistently with his four-seamer.
After the game, Mets skipper Luis Rojas spoke on Jacob deGrom’s brilliance (37 percent called-strike-and-whiff rate on 99 pitches; woof).
“It is special. You gotta call it that. You don’t see that often,” referring to deGrom’s nine straight punchouts. “You don’t see that. It’s pretty special. We talk about Jake getting better every year, then he goes out there […] then he all of a sudden makes an adjustment, and does something special.”
Jacob deGrom, who’s seen more than his fair share of leads dissipate once he’s departed the game over the course of his career, was visibly pleased with the offensive output in the latter innings in Saturday’s opener.
“We’ve got a good lineup,” he said. “It’s not easy for those guys when you have a game and then games keep getting cancelled or are postponed. It messes with their timing. Hopefully, get this thing rolling and let them do what they’re capable of.”
Brandon Nimmo continued his hot start, going 2-for-3 and bringing his early slash line to an astonishing .484/.590/.581 over his first 40 plate appearances.
Pete Alonso went 2-for-4 with that aforementioned home run, lending credence to a resurgence arriving after a slow start.
Speaking of slow starts, Michael Conforto went 2-for-3, breaking an 0-for-16 slide heading into the weekend.
Jacob deGrom notched his fourth hit in seven at-bats this season, raising his average to .571 on the year. Unreal lol.
Keep it locked onto The Apple for a breakdown of Saturday’s nightcap coming Sunday morning.
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