The New York Mets took their home opener, 7-2, against the Philadelphia Phillies tonight at Citi Field. Jacob deGrom had a lot on his mind in the first of a three-game division series. His wife is expecting their first child momentarily and he didn’t know if he’d pull himself from the game in a moment’s notice, he was starting his first game of the season and his back wasn’t quite up to par.
But whatever he had on his mind didn’t matter. DeGrom’s wife didn’t go into labor, he gave up five hits but whiffed six batters, and he came out early to rest his back as the Mets prevented the Phillies from getting their first win of the season.
DeGrom came into the game – his first start at Citi Field since his last regular season start — after recording 216.0 innings last year and ended with a 17-9 record, 2.58 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 234 strikeouts.
Granted, all anybody could talk about was how deGrom wasn’t using his fastball, but again, it didn’t matter. Although the oddsmakers deemed this game an even matchup, it was all New York as they won on what is the late great Gary Carter’s birthday.
DeGrom has a few days to see what happens with his back and his wife before he takes the mound again. He was a little slow on the pitch, coming in a few miles short of his typical 95mph throw, topping out at 93. The Mets have said that no MRI was planned for him and it was just a sore right lat muscle.
DeGrom was quoted as saying, “I’m hoping it was the elements. I’m not really that worried about it.”
It was a very cold day with temperatures in the upper 40s as the Phillies struggled once again. David Wright got his first extra base hit of the season with a double to centerfield and one out in the bottom of the first. Although the Mets failed to turn it into a run, they were the first on the board in the bottom of the second. Michael Conforto was hit by a pitch, Asdrubal Cabrera was safe at first on a fielding error by shortstop Galvis and, after a walk to Travis d’arnaud, deGrom grounded out to second, bringing Conforto home.
After the Phillies scored one in the 6th, the Mets added two more runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning. Jim Henderson came in to relief deGrom in the top of the 7th inning, but it was at the bottom of the 7th when the Mets added four more insurance runs and a total of 9 hits. The Phillies tried a little harder in the top of the 8th and added one more run, but the Mets don’t allow many hitters to get on base, ranking second in the league with a 0.882 WHIP and it just wasn’t going to be enough to beat the Mets, who are now 2-1 on the season. New York Mets relief pitcher Antonio Bastardo got the save after the 7-2 win against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Unfortunately, we’ll have to give this game’s bonehead play to New York Mets third baseman David Wright (5) who dropped the infield fly in the 8th inning on the ball hit by Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera (37). Earlier, Wright made a great one-handed grab though earlier in the game.
Before the game, the New York Mets, the National League Champs, relived their National League Championship last year as they were were presented with their bling — 2.75 carat National League Championship diamond rings (over 100 diamonds! Bling bling!) in a private ceremony. The Mets also scored their victory in front of a sellout crowd of 44,099 and they also raised their National League Championship banner.
The second game of the rivalry series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets will take place on Saturday night at Citi Field with Bartolo Colon taking the mound against the Phillies’ right-handed pitcher Vince Velasquez. Colon debuted this season on opening night, where he recorded four outs but allowed one run to score. Vince Velasquez throws his first game of his Phillies career, coming from the Ken Giles trade with Houston in December.
