< Derek Norris
scores the tie-breaking run in the eighth inning to lift the Tampa Bay Rays to a 5-4 victory over the New York Yankees.
New York — Jacob deGrom dominated until dealing with discomfort in his throwing hand in the seventh, then escaped a no-out, bases-loaded jam that inning to help the New York Mets beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-0 on Friday night and snap a seven-game losing streak.
The Mets avoided their first eightgame skid since losing 11 straight in 2004.
After multiple visits by Mets coaches and a trainer, DeGrom survived the seventh with a strikeout, a juggling catch by shortstop Jose Reyes and Cameron Maybin's flyout.
Jerry Blevins got two outs in his major league-leading 25th appearance, Paul Sewald recorded an out in the eighth and Addison Reed pitched the ninth for his fifth save.
Terry Collins managed his 1,012th game with the Mets, tying Davey Johnson for the most with the franchise. Collins is 498-514 in seven seasons with New York.
Ricky Nolasco (2-3) allowed two runs, one earned, over six innings. Los Angeles had won four straight.
DeGrom ended a 17-game stretch in which no Mets starters got an out in the seventh inning, tying a club record set in 2002.
It was a tough hump to get over.
DeGrom was visited by Collins and a team trainer at the start of the seventh inning after fidgeting with his throwing hand.
The righty pointed to his ring finger during the brief visit, but stayed in the game.
With the Mets leading 2-0, deGrom walked C.J. Cron, was visited by pitching coach Dan Warthen and then hit Martin Maldonado with a 3-1 pitch to load the bases before striking out Danny Espinosa with a 96 mph fastball for the first out.
Pinch hitter Ben Revere then blooped a ball to shallow center that Reyes bobbled and caught. Andrelton Simmons broke from third base when the ball hit Reyes in the palm of his glove, then had to hurry back when the ball popped into the air. Reyes finished the catch, and then Maybin flied out.
DeGrom retired 13 straight before Kole Calhoun's two-out single in the sixth. He gave up four hits, struck out nine and walked three in seven innings.
It was a timely start for the Mets, who entered Friday ranked last in the majors with a 5.13 ERA.
The Angels had averaged 6.3 runs over their previous six games.
Michael Conforto led off the seventh with a homer to left, his second in two games, team-high 11th this season and sixth to the opposite field.
Reyes' juggle was the second unusual bounce as the Mets as they opened a seven-game homestand. In the first inning, Curtis Granderson lined an RBI double down the left field line that caromed off the ball boy's stool, kicked behind the rolled up tarp then ended up under a towel that had been resting on the stool, all before umpire Ben May called time.
Left fielder Maybin threw his hands up asking for time before grabbing the ball and firing to the infield, catching Granderson between bases. Granderson was frozen on the basepath before realizing time was called.
Reigning AL MVP Mike Trout singled twice in his first game at Citi Field since the 2013 All-Star Game. Trout is from Millville, New Jersey, and his parents traveled to Queens for the game.
Trainer's room
Angels: Albert Pujols was held out of the lineup with a sore right hamstring. Manager Mike Scioscia said Pujols had an MRI, which showed tendinitis in the hamstring.
Mets: C Travis d'Arnaud (right wrist), LHP Steve Matz (left elbow) and RHP Seth Lugo (right elbow) made their first rehab appearances Thursday with Class A St. Lucie. Matz may join Triple-A Las Vegas in New Orleans next week. D'Arnaud caught nine innings for St. Lucie on Friday.