DeGrom strikes out 13 as Mets top Diamondbacks
>> NEW YORK: Jacob deGrom tied a career high by striking out 13 batters over seven strong innings on Friday night as the New York Mets beat the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 at Citi Field.
The Mets won for the 10th time in 28 games following an 11-1 start. The Diamondbacks have lost eight of nine.
DeGrom (4-0), who missed a start earlier this month due to a hyperextended right elbow and threw 45 pitches while lasting only one inning in his return on Sunday, allowed one run on six hits and no walks while throwing 71 of his 100 pitches for strikes. The 13-strikeout effort was the fourth of his career, including one in the 2015 play-offs, and his first since he whiffed 13 against the Miami Marlins on April 15, 2017.
The Diamondbacks got only one runner beyond first base in the first five innings before scoring in the sixth, when Steven Souza Jr singled with one out and scored on Jake Lamb’s double. The run snapped deGrom’s scoreless streak at a career-high 24 2/3 innings. Souza later left the contest after reaggravating a right pectoral injury.
Charlie Morton extended his career-long winning streak to nine games when Houston rallied on his behalf, scoring twice in the seventh inning to scratch out a 4-1 win over visiting Cleveland.
Morton (6-0) was exceptional again at home, improving to 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA at Minute Maid Park this season. He limited the Indians to four hits and a walk over seven innings, recording eight strikeouts while tossing 97 pitches.
Cleveland designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion struck for a solo home run to the opposite field in right with one out in the seventh to sully the Morton ledger. It was Encarnacion’s 10th home run on the season.
Whit Merrifield had three hits and tied a career high with three stolen bases to spark host Kansas City to a 5-2 victory over New York.
Merrifield helped the Royals halt a five-game skid with a double and two singles in his first three at-bats against CC Sabathia (2-1) to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.