Jacob deGrom pitched his first complete game of the season and lowered his major league-leading ERA to 1.71, weathering a rain delay and leading the New York Mets over the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 Saturday.
DeGrom (8-7) kept boosting his NL Cy Young Award credentials and allowed only an unearned run, the result of his own error. He walked none, struck out nine and threw his hardest pitch, a 99 mph fastball, on the next-to-last of his 108 pitches.
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Jacob deGrom pitched his first complete game of the season and lowered his major league-leading ERA to 1.71, weathering a rain delay and leading the New York Mets over the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 Saturday.
It appeared that deGrom's day might be cut short due to a 41-minute rain delay that began in the middle of the fourth. But the Mets right-hander came back after the stoppage as strong as before it.
He allowed a leadoff single to Rhys Hoskins in the fourth and then retired nine of 10 before the seventh when Philadelphia got its lone run against the Mets ace.
Jake Arrieta (9-8) allowed one run on four hits with six strikeouts and no walks in six strong innings.
The Phillies scored their lone run off deGrom in the seventh after Nick Williams and Franco hit consecutive one-out singles. Williams scored when deGrom couldn't handle Rosario's throw from short on a potential double-play on Odubel Herrera's groundball. But the Mets got out of the inning when deGrom threw to first, where second baseman McNeil tagged out Herrera, who couldn't get back to the bag after making a move toward second base.
DeGrom has thrown three complete games in 132 starts in the majors. He tossed a one-hitter at Citizens Bank Park on July 17, 2016, in a 5-0 win over the Phillies.
New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMichael Perez)
It appeared that deGrom's day might be cut short due to a 41-minute rain delay that began in the middle of the fourth. But the Mets right-hander came back after the stoppage as strong as before it.
DeGrom was so eager to resume that he walked toward the Philadelphia dugout to get a ball to warm up. He began to get loose on the mound before the umpires returned and prior to the Phillies' grounds crew raking the field. He was forced to wait several minutes before throwing his final warmup toss as the field was being groomed.
But it didn't bother deGrom.
Grounds crew members cover the field during a rain delay in the fourth inning of a baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMichael Perez)
He allowed a leadoff single to Rhys Hoskins in the fourth and then retired nine of 10 before the seventh when Philadelphia got its lone run against the Mets ace.
DeGrom pulled within two starts of Dwight Gooden's club record with his 22nd consecutive start allowing three runs or less. He also eclipsed 200 strikeouts, finishing with 204 for the season. The two-time All-Star entered second in the NL and sixth in the majors in Ks.
Hoskins and Maikel Franco each doubled among their two hits for the Phillies, who began the day a half-game behind Atlanta in the NL East and leading the NL wild-card race.
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jake Arrieta throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMichael Perez)
Jake Arrieta (9-8) allowed one run on four hits with six strikeouts and no walks in six strong innings.
The Mets went ahead in the fourth when Jeff McNeil scored from third on Wilmer Flores' single that caromed off the third-base bag and into left field.
New York took a 3-0 lead in the seventh with a pair of runs off Luis Garcia. Devin Mesoraco homered and Amed Rosario scored on McNeil's first career triple.
New York Mets' Michael Conforto (30) tries to make a play on a double hit by Philadelphia Phillies' Maikel Franco (7) in the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMichael Perez)
The Phillies scored their lone run off deGrom in the seventh after Nick Williams and Franco hit consecutive one-out singles. Williams scored when deGrom couldn't handle Rosario's throw from short on a potential double-play on Odubel Herrera's groundball. But the Mets got out of the inning when deGrom threw to first, where second baseman McNeil tagged out Herrera, who couldn't get back to the bag after making a move toward second base.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: OF Jay Bruce (sore right hip), on the DL since June 18, went 0 for 3 in a rehab outing with Single-A St. Lucie on Friday night.
New York Mets' Todd Frazier (21) slides into second base ahead of a tag from Philadelphia Phillies' Cesar Hernandez (16) in the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMichael Perez)
Phillies: RHP Jerad Eickhoff is scheduled to throw 75 pitches in a rehab outing with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sunday. Eickhoff has been out all season with a right lat strain.
UP NEXT
The teams wrap up their five-game series on Sunday night at Bowman Field in Williamsport as part of the Little League Classic. Mets LHP Jason Vargas (2-8, 8.10) opposes Phillies RHP Nick Pivetta (7-9, 4.37). Vargas has struggled but had success against the Phillies the last time he faced them in 2011 with Seattle, pitching a three-hit shutout.