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DeGrominant: Jacob deGrom dominates in 3rd start back

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Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom pushed back a couple days
Jacob deGrom
AP Photo/John Minchillo

Jacob deGrom continued his stellar comeback as he struck out 10 batters in 6 dominant innings as the Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 1-0 on Saturday night.

“He’s doing great,” said Edwin Díaz, who followed deGrom and earned his 200th career save. “He can do everything he wants with the hitters.”

Over his 6 scoreless innings on the mound in Queens, deGrom gave up just 2 hits, and did not walk any batters on 76 pitches. 

“The star of the show was our pitching staff,” said slugger Pete Alonso, who hit an RBI in the 1st inning to score the game’s only run. 

DeGrom, the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner, missed the beginning of the season after suffering a stress fracture in his right scapula during preseason, returned to action on Aug. 2, and Saturday marked his 3rd start of the year. 

Now with 16.2 innings under his belt in 2022, the Mets ace has surrendered 6 hits, 3 runs and 1 walks, while striking out 28 batters. 

The Mets have continued to be careful with their star pitcher’s health, which has led them to yank him from the game earlier than they might otherwise — including Saturday, when most pitchers would have been left in the game. 

​​“It’s tough. You want to be out there,” said deGrom. “But at the same time, it took that long to get back. You don’t want to do anything to jeopardize being here for hopefully the push we go on — hopefully to the World Series.”

The game, which saw 4 Amazins’ pitchers on the mound (deGrom, Seth Lugo, Trevor May, and Díaz), was New York’s MLB-best 15th shutout.

For more coverage of Jacob deGrom and the Mets, head to amNY.com.

Díaz, the All-Star closer, recorded his 27th save of the season, and is now the 6th active pitcher with 200-or-more saves.

“It’s awesome,” deGrom said of his teammate. “He’s done a great job, and you’re comfortable any time he’s in the game.”

The ace opened the game by striking out Bryson Stott looking on a 101.1 mph fastball and then allowed a soft single to Rhys Hoskins. After Alec Bohm grounded into a force play, deGrom fanned J.T. Realmuto on 3 straight sliders.

“Nothing’s different from the last time that I faced him,” Hoskins said.

It was deGrom’s second double-digit strikeout game since returning and his 55th in the regular season overall. He improved to 9-1 in 20 career starts against the Phillies.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, wasted a terrific performance by Aaron Nola, who allowed 4 hits in 8 innings. The righty struck out 8 and walked 1 batter, but he dropped to 0-3 in 4 starts against New York this year.

“Facing deGrom, you know it’s going to be low (scoring),” Nola said. “So it’s just going to be a battle all night. And it was.”

The game propelled the Mets to 74–40 on the season heading into their Sunday game against Philadelphia, which puts them solidly atop the NL East, ahead of the Atlanta Braves.