DeGrom shines against Phillies as Mets cruise
New York — Jacob deGrom brought his A-game and got ample help from Mets teammates in a clash against another NL East ace.
Philadelphia never really gave Aaron Nola a chance.
DeGrom struck out 12 over seven innings, Nola was let down by lackluster defense and New York poured it on with a season-best 17 hits in a 14-1 victory over the Phillies on Sunday.
Pete Alonso homered twice, Jeff McNeil hit his first shot of the season, and Brandon Nimmo and Wilson Ramos also went deep for the Mets, who have won four of five. Dominic Smith had a career-high four hits, matched a franchise record with three doubles and drove in three.
DeGrom (3-1) allowed three hits and two walks while lowering his ERA to 1.69. With three weeks left in this pandemic-shortened regular season, the twotime reigning NL Cy Young Award winner is a prime candidate for a three-peat in a field that also features the Cubs' Yu Darvish and Braves' Max Fried.
“I've said that almost every year coming in, that's a personal goal of mine,” deGrom said. "Winning two in a row, honestly, doesn't even really feel like it's sunk in yet . ... I prepared this offseason and this summer with that goal in mind.”
Brad Brach and Chasen Shreve closed out New York's four-hitter.
McNeil and Alonso connected off Nola, but the rest of New York's damage against the Phillies ace was aided by defensive miscues.
Center fielder Adam Haseley got turned around on Smith's first-inning RBI double, and third baseman Alec Bohm botched a rundown that set up Andrés Giménez's two-run single in the fourth. First baseman Rhys Hoskins booted Robinson Canó's hard-hit grounder in the fifth, allowing Michael Conforto to score from second. Bohm and Hoskins were given errors.
Nola (4-3) was charged with three earned runs and six total over 5 [1/3] innings. He struck out 10.
“Maybe the only runs he should've given up were the two solo home runs,” manager Joe Girardi said.
Andrew Knapp hit his first homer of the season off deGrom in the second. The Phillies backup catcher is hitting .462 this season in 14 games.