Rajai Davis hit a three-run double off Julio Urías with two outs in the eighth inning following a brilliant pitchers' duel between the Mets' Jacob deGrom and Hyun-Jin Ryu, and New York beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 Saturday night to maintain its slim wild-card hopes.
DeGrom and Ryu both pitched shutout ball for seven innings and neither walked a batter in a game in which each team got just three hits.
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Rajai Davis hit a three-run double off Julio Urías with two outs in the eighth inning following a brilliant pitchers' duel between the Mets' Jacob deGrom and Hyun-Jin Ryu, and New York beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 Saturday night to maintain its slim wild-card hopes.
Davis broke a 0-0 tie after two hit batters and a walk by the Dodgers' bullpen. The 38-year-old Davis, who had been hitless in 10 at-bats since Aug. 20, pinch hit, reached for a changeup and hooked it down the left-field line. Davis also had a memorable three-run homer for the Mets against Washington on May 22 in his first big league game this season.
Despite his superior efforts, deGrom has not won back-to-back starts since his first two appearances of the season. He has pitched scoreless ball 14 times since the start of the 2018 season, but the Mets are just 8-6 in those outings.
Todd Frazier was hit on the left hand on the first pitch after Joe Kelly (5-4) entered with one out in the eighth, the Mets' first baserunner since the third inning. Kelly struck out Juan Lagares on eight pitches, Urías hit Brandon Nimmo on the right arm and Amed Rosario walked, loading the bases. Davis then pinch hit for Lugo.
BACK UP DRIVE
New York remained three games behind the Chicago Cubs for the second NL wild card with 14 games left and also trails Milwaukee.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu delivers against the New York Mets during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, in New York. (AP PhotoMary Altaffer)
Davis broke a 0-0 tie after two hit batters and a walk by the Dodgers' bullpen. The 38-year-old Davis, who had been hitless in 10 at-bats since Aug. 20, pinch hit, reached for a changeup and hooked it down the left-field line. Davis also had a memorable three-run homer for the Mets against Washington on May 22 in his first big league game this season.
Seth Lugo (6-3) struck out the side in the eighth, and Justin Wilson pitched a perfect ninth for his third save, ending a nine-game winning streak for the Dodgers at Citi Field dating to 2016. Los Angeles already has clinched its seventh straight NL West title.
DeGrom allowed three hits and struck out eight, getting 11 groundball outs and retiring 16 straight batters starting in the second inning. He is 0-4 in 10 regular season starts against the Dodgers despite a 2.87 ERA, though he did beat them twice in the 2015 Division Series. DeGrom had a 1.69 ERA in 12 starts since the All-Star break, lowering his season ERA to 2.61.
Los Angeles Dodgers' A.J. Pollock hits a single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, in New York. (AP PhotoMary Altaffer)
Despite his superior efforts, deGrom has not won back-to-back starts since his first two appearances of the season. He has pitched scoreless ball 14 times since the start of the 2018 season, but the Mets are just 8-6 in those outings.
Ryu was just as sharp, giving up two hits in seven innings with six strikeouts to lower his major league-best ERA to 2.35. Ryu, who retired his last 13 batters, is 4-1 with a 1.38 ERA in eight starts against the Mets.
He had given up 21 runs over 19 innings in his previous four starts but was making his first appearance since Sept. 4.
Los Angeles Dodgers' Corey Seager watches the ball after hitting a single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, in New York. (AP PhotoMary Altaffer)
Todd Frazier was hit on the left hand on the first pitch after Joe Kelly (5-4) entered with one out in the eighth, the Mets' first baserunner since the third inning. Kelly struck out Juan Lagares on eight pitches, Urías hit Brandon Nimmo on the right arm and Amed Rosario walked, loading the bases. Davis then pinch hit for Lugo.
SCUFFLING
Mets rookie Pete Alonso went 0 for 3 and is hitless in a career-worst 16 straight at-bats.
Los Angeles Dodgers' Joc Pederson reacts after striking out during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, in New York. (AP PhotoMary Altaffer)
BACK UP DRIVE
Wilson Ramos hit a grounder in the second that deflected off Ryu's back to Max Muncy, who beat Wilson to first base.
YOU GOTTA HAVE
LHP Donnie Hart was brought up by the Mets from Triple-A Syracuse. His only previous appearance for the Mets was on Aug. 4, a day after he was claimed off waivers from Milwaukee.
New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo scores on a three-run double pinch hit by Rajai Davis during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, in New York. (AP PhotoMary Altaffer)
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: LHP Rich Hill threw on flat ground with a knee brace. Hill left Thursday's game at Baltimore in the first inning after straining the medial collateral ligament in his left knee and is to have an MRI on Monday. "If I can figure out a way to go out there, not just be effective but dominate, and feel like that I can get guys out, then I'll go out there and do that," he said.
Mets: RF Jeff McNeil fouled a pitch off his right foot in the fifth inning but stayed in the game.
UP NEXT
Mets RHP Zack Wheeler (11-7, 4.21 ERA) and Dodgers RHP Walker Buehler (13-3, 3.14) start Sunday night's series finale.
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