Mets 10, Phillies 0 Final
In a matchup between two teams playing for the future, the lopsided outcome was not in doubt as the Mets put up three runs in the first and never looked back.
In a season that has offered both Mets pitchers and fans unending pain, an otherwise dominant night was marred with the sight of Jacob deGrom — the last pitching stud standing — exiting the game in the seventh after a comebacker ricocheted off his pitching arm.
The less-than-Amazins tormented Phillies starter Vince Velasquez in the first. After yielding a two-out double to Yoenis Cespedes and walking Michael Conforto, Velasquez coughed up a three-run home run to Wilmer Flores, and the Mets spotted deGrom a 3-0 lead before he even threw a pitch. Velasquez would not return in the second, suffering from numbness in his pitching hand. Mark Leiter would replace him for five innings, surrendering only one run, a Neil Walker home run in the third.
deGrom couldn’t ask for a better setup for his 50th career road start. He was 9-0 against Philadelphia heading into tonight’s game, and wasted no time picking up where he left off, striking out the first two batters he faced. Cruising with a shutout in the seventh, on his 100th pitch, a comebacker off the bat of Nick Williams hit him right above the right elbow. Erik Goeddel came in in relief and stranded Phillies on the corners. deGrom escaped the scrape with little more than a triceps bruise, although given the Mets medical staff’s recent history misdiagnosing pitchers’ health, one could forgive Mets fans’ skepticism.)
Phillies outfield prospect Rhys Hoskins made his major league debut, going hitless with a walk.
deGrom wasn’t the only possible casualty of the night. With Las Vegas teammate Dominic Smith set to debut tomorrow, Amed Rosario got nailed in his hand with a high and tight fastball in the fourth, but stayed in the game and didn’t seem the worse for wear.
Conforto launched a three-run home run home run that dinged off the left field foul pole for a three run home run in the top of the seventh, and in the top of the ninth, Curtis Granderson followed a walk by pinch-hitting Brandon Nimmo with a two-run homer to right, putting the Mets up 9-0. The Mets then loaded the bases, but only eked out one more run to make the score 10-0, matching deGrom’s win-loss record against Philadelphia.
Mets fans can only hope that the linchpins of the 2018 campaign savor the victory and need no more than ice for their wounds.
Tonight, Dominic Smith Day, Seth Lugo (5-3, 4.55 ERA) takes on Nick Pivetta (4-7, 5.89 ERA) at 7:05 p.m.
Photo credit: Bill Streicher – USA Today Sports