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 DeGrom turned in his third consecutive dominant start while
scattering five hits over seven innings to beat the Seattle Mariners
3-1 win.
DeGrom (4-5) allowed one earned run while striking out seven to give
the Mets (47-53) their first win at Safeco Field, where New York had
lost its previous four games -- including a three-game sweep in
2005.
Tuesday marked the third consecutive start in which deGrom has gone
seven innings -- he has allowed one run or fewer in all three.
"He's always flown under the radar. He still is," Collins said.
"He's got numbers that match up with any rookie in the league, but
you never hear about him."
After deGrom led the Mets to a 2-1 lead through the seventh inning,
first baseman Lucas Duda provided a powerful insurance run with a
446-foot home run to rightfield.
"If it goes out, it goes out," Duda said of the big blast, which
marked the longest home run hit at Safeco Field this season and the
farthest since Mark Teixiera hit a 462-foot homer here in 2007. "I
hit it pretty good."
The Mets spotted deGrom a 2-0 lead in the second inning but got very
little else off Seattle starter Erasmo Ramirez. Called up from
Triple-A Tacoma earlier in the day -- and sent back there after the
game -- Ramirez (1-5) allowed two runs off five hits over seven
innings. He matched a career high with 10 strikeouts during the
114-pitch outing.
"He did a very nice job," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He
gave us an opportunity to win a ball game and save the bullpen. I
was very pleased."
Mets designated hitter Bobby Abreu led off the second inning with a
single and came around to score on a soft liner off the bat of
catcher Travis d'Arnaud, who was credited with a triple when
Mariners center fielder James Jones misplayed the ball. D'Arnaud
scored on Ruben Tejada's single.
Seattle cut the deficit to 2-1 on left fielder Dustin Ackley's RBI
double in the fifth. Shortstop Willie Bloomquist hit a one-out
single, then scored on Ackley's double to center field.
Leading 2-1, Ramirez came out of the game at the start of the eighth
inning. Duda then hit a one-out, solo home run off reliever Tom
Wilhelmsen. Duda crushed a 3-1 pitch over the right-field fence.
"Anytime somebody hits a ball 450 feet, there's some excitement in
the dugout," Collins said. "We needed a win, and that helped us a
lot."
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Duda went 2-for-4 with a stolen base.
Mets closer Jenrry Mejia earned his 12th save of the season during a
scoreless ninth as New York snapped a three-game losing streak.
Mejia issued a one-out walk to designated hitter Corey Hart, then
started a game-ending double play on a weak grounder off the bat of
first baseman Logan Morrison.
The Mets' deGrom is now 4-1 with a 1.59 ERA over his past six
starts. He made his major league debut as a reliever but has since
settled in as one of the more reliable starters in the New York
rotation.
"Orel Hershiser started out as a reliever too, and he took the
opportunity and ran with it," Collins said. "Jake's doing the same
thing. He's gotten the opportunity and made the most of it."
NOTES: Mets OF Curtis Granderson (illness) was not available
Tuesday. Manager Terry Collins said Granderson got sick late Monday
night after going 0-for-5 with four strikeouts in a 5-2 loss to
Seattle. ... Mariners RHP Taijuan Walker will start Wednesday's
game, manager Lloyd McClendon announced Tuesday. Walker started two
games for Seattle earlier this season, but he pitched at Triple-A
Tacoma through the All-Star break to get some work. He was called up
late Tuesday night, after Tuesday's starter, RHP Erasmo Ramirez, was
sent back to Triple-A. ... To clear a roster spot for Ramirez's
promotion from Tacoma, the Mariners optioned 1B Justin Smoak to
Triple-A late Monday night. ... Mets OF Chris Young, who left
Monday's game due to cramps in his left calf, was not in the lineup
Tuesday. ... Mets SS Ruben Tejada took a pitch off his left hand in
Tuesday's fifth inning but stayed in the game. Collins said the hand
swelled up pretty quickly, but he did not expect the injury to
affect Tejada's availability for Wednesday's series finale.
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