WHAT A RELIEF
Collins’ hunch helps Amazin’s end six-game losing streak
WASHINGTON — Ending the Mets’ long National nightmare called for the unconventional.
Josh Edgin entering to face Bryce Harper with the bases loaded in the ninth inning at Nationals Park certainly fit into that category Friday night. Edgin to replace Jeurys Familia? Really.
But manager Terry Collins’ hunch was exactly right. The lefty Edgin got Harper to hit a comebacker that became a 1-2-3 double play to end the game — and stop the Mets’ losing streak at six.
“If we had won seven in a row, I probably would have left Jeurys out there,” Collins said after the Mets’ 7-5 victory. “That is what he’s here to do, and I know we’re going to look up at the end of the month and he’s going to have 20 saves and he’s going to be OK. But as he’s getting his feet back on the ground here, I just didn’t like what I saw.”
The Nationals had loaded the bases in the ninth on three straight singles before Familia — who has struggled in five appearances since returning from his 15game suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy — struck out Trea Turner. Enter Edgin, who had held Harper to 2for-11 (.222) in his career.
“You’re trying to get the ball on the ground, especially with the bases loaded, you’re trying to get that double play,” Edgin said. “We needed a win.”
A combination of long ball (Travis d’Arnaud hit two) and fastball (Jacob deGrom had it, all right) turned this into a “d”-lightful exercise the Mets could savor.
On a day the Mets placed Yoenis Cespedes on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring, d’Arnaud filled much of the power void with the first multi-homer game of his career — against reigning NL Cy Young award winner Max Scherzer, nonetheless — and deGrom dominated.
The right-hander struck out 12 over seven innings in which he allowed three runs on six hits and one walk, a rebound from his control problems against the Nationals last Saturday.
DeGrom (1-1) became the first Mets pitcher since David Cone in 1992 to record three straight games in double digits with strikeouts. Overall, deGrom has struck out 35 over his last 19 2/3 innings.
The Mets (9-13) gave their bullpen a cushion with two runs in the eighth inning after Jose Reyes had stroked a leadoff double for his fourth hit in two games. The cushion was needed: Ryan Zimmerman blasted Addison Reed’s first pitch in the eighth inning for a two-run homer, pulling the Nationals within 7-5. With the tying runs on base, Reed struck out Jayson Werth to preserve the lead.