DeGROM GETS ZERO HELP AGAIN
Mets fail to back deGrom again — and this time, he falters too
PITTSBURGH — Jacob deGrom can go ahead and swap the No. 48 on his back for a big fat zero, in honor of the support he has received from the Mets this season.
The absurdity is reaching new levels with each start by the AllStar pitcher, who in all fairness began to resemble less and less of his ace self as Saturday night’s game progressed.
DeGrom’s night went straight to “L” as he was allowing two runs in the seventh in the Mets’ 5-0 defeat to the Pirates at PNC Park.
The Mets (43-59) lost their second straight behind a toothless attack against Trevor Williams and the Pirates bullpen.
DeGrom, who entered as the major league leader with a 1.71 ERA, was removed after seven innings in which he allowed three earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts. The late burst by the Pirates pushed his ERA to 1.82 — the highest it has been since May 13.
DeGrom (5-6) is fighting for the NL Cy Young award even as he battles what might be seen by some as a stigma: his anemic wins total and a losing record.
“I honestly haven’t thought about it,” deGrom said. “I want to go out there and put up zeroes and I wasn’t able to do that tonight.”
Saturday marked the 13th time in deGrom’s past 15 starts the Mets have scored three runs or fewer. DeGrom hasn’t recorded a win since June 18 at Colorado, despite pitching to a 2.51 ERA in his six starts since.
“I think the guys know they haven’t been scoring runs for him and I am sure they don’t feel real good about it,” manager Mickey Callaway said.
DeGrom’s realistic shot at a victory unraveled in the seventh, when the Pirates recorded three hits and two runs against him, including an RBI double by Adam Frazier. The Pirates added a cush-
ion with two runs in the eighth against Robert Gsellman.
Colin Moran’s two-out RBI single in the sixth broke the scoreless deadlock. Gregory Polanco singled with two outs in the inning and stole second to give the Pirates their rally.
DeGrom, who went 2-for-3 at the plate, sliced a double to left in the fifth, but was left stranded when Brandon Nimmo and Wilmer Flores were retired in succession.
Devin Mesoraco hit into an in- ning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the fourth, crushing the Mets’ best opportunity to score.
In the third, deGrom batted with runners on first and second with nobody out and produced what should have been a sacrifice bunt, but the slow-footed Mesoraco was thrown out at third base on the play.
“[DeGrom] continues to put us in a position to win and we’re failing him,” Callaway said.