Delivering in a pinch
Nick Williams’ 3-run pinch-hit home run sends Phils past Mets
Jacob deGrom felt great in his return from the disabled list. He didn’t allow a run or even a hit.
Trouble was, deGrom, lasted only one inning,
DeGrom needed 45 pitches to get three outs, and pinchhitter Nick Williams had a goahead, three-run homer off Paul Seward in the sixth inning that carried the Philadelphia Phillies over the Mets 4-2 Sunday.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen somebody throw 40-something pitches and not give up a run,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said.
After missing a start because of a hyperextended right elbow, DeGrom said he had control of only his fastball and slider as he walked his first three batters. New York removed him as a precaution because of the length of the inning and the 59-minute rain delay that preceded it.
“He felt fine. We just didn’t feel good sending him back out,” Callaway said. “We can’t do that
to anybody. That’s a lot of pitches for one inning.”
Philadelphia fouled off 20 pitches in the first. That led to a strange scenario of deGrom being pinch hit for in the second inning of a scoreless game.
“I was kind of surprised, honestly,” deGrom said. “I definitely would have liked to have gone back out there. The reasoning, I understand. But who wants to pitch one inning as a starter?”
Cesar Hernandez, Aaron Altherr and Odubel Hernandez each walked on six pitches. DeGrom struck out Rhys Hoskins, got Carlos Santana to ground back to the mound and fanned Maikel Franco to end a 10-pitch at-bat. That extended deGrom’s scoreless streak to 19 1/3 innings, the longest active streak in the majors.
The pitches were deGrom’s most in a big league inning, topping his 37 at a rookie in the first inning at Atlanta on July 2, 2014.
“I’d like to think I would have been able to figure it out,” deGrom said. “But who knows?”
The first inning lasted 39 minutes and produced no runs. Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola (6-1) worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam by striking out Wilmer Flores and retiring Michael Conforto on a groundout.
Philadelphia trailed 1-0 when Williams batted for Nola and connected on a slider with two outs off Sewald (0-3), the second of four Mets relievers. It was a highlight in a difficult season for Williams, who has been relegated mostly to the bench.
“This spot is maturing me a lot,” he said. “It’s a spot I’ve never been in, and I think it’s helped me grow as a player and a person. I think I am learning the game a lot better, and the chances I do get I think are helping me to become a complete hitter.”
Carlos Santana added an eighth-inning homer off Jeurys Famila as the Phillies won for the fifth time in six games.
Yoenis Cespedes’ sixthinning homer was the only run off Nola, who allowed nine hits in six innings. Asdrubal Cabrera hit an RBI double in the seventh against Tommy Hunter.
Edubray Ramos worked around a walk in the ninth for his first big league save as the Phillies improved to 8-14 against the NL East. He replaced struggling closer Hector Neris, who blew a save Friday.
“We’re going to be creative,” manager Gabe Kapler said of his closer situation.
New York has lost 17 of 25 after an 11-1 start, dropping nine of its last 11.
Luis Guillorme pinch hit for deGrom in the second and singled in his first major league at-bat.
STREAKING » Herrera’s firstinning walk extended his on-base streak to 41 games. Herrera, who added a single, is tied for the Phillies’ fifth longest on-base streak with Pete Rose (1982) and Don Hurst (1929). Mike Schmidt holds the record
(56 in 1981-82).
SYNDERGAARD WAITS » Callaway was unhappy with how late the Phillies informed the Mets that Saturday’s game was going to be delayed. It was eventually rained out, pushing back the start of New York ace Noah Syndergaard.
“He was actually on the mound warming up before they told us,” Callaway said.
Asked whether home teams usually communicate anticipated delays earlier, Callaway smirked, paused and said: “Sometimes.”
Phillies right-hander Zach Eflin said he had also started warming up.
MOVES » New York optioned LHP Buddy Baumann to Triple-A Las Vegas to open a roster spot for deGrom. . The Phillies after the game optioned RHP Jake Thompson to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
TRAINER’S ROOM » Phillies: RHP Mark Leiter Jr. (forearm) allowed one hit, no walks and struck out three in 2 1/3 innings Saturday for Class A Clearwater.