Jacob deGrom’s Return to Citi Field and the Rangers’ Winning Streak
NEW YORK — If the New York Mets didn’t overwhelm their fans with an emotional welcome back for Jacob deGrom, no worries. DeGrom took care of it. No, the hair wasn’t flowing like it once did, the fastball didn’t regularly hit triple digits and the strikeout totals weren’t silly in the Rangers’ 8-3 win Friday, but deGrom did what he has done better than any other pitcher at Citi Field. He owned the mound and the night in front of a crowd of 41,040.
Taking advantage of the Rangers’ biggest first inning of the year, deGrom challenged the Mets with his fastball, still plenty effective at 97.5 mph, and allowed them to swing early. On that front, the Mets were very cooperative, taking just six pitches to go down in the first and nine in the second.
The Rangers’ Winning Streak and deGrom’s Performance
It allowed deGrom to go seven innings on just 88 pitches, making it the first time he’d completed at least seven innings since the end of June. It also pushed his season total for innings to 162⅔, meaning he will officially qualify for the AL ERA title. At the moment, with a 2.82 ERA, he ranks fourth. It was also the 83rd time in 110 career start at Citi Field that he posted a quality start.
All of that was nice, but what was most important was that the Rangers won their fifth straight and their 15th in the last 19 games. At 78-70, they trail Houston by two games in the AL West with 14 to play. Seattle, which also began the day two ahead of the Rangers, was playing late against the Los Angeles Angels.
The Mets’ Tribute and deGrom’s Response
The Mets’ tribute was nice. But Patrick Corbin got a nice tribute when he returned to Washington, where he had struggled most of the last five years. Merrill Kelly got a more robust video tribute he returned to Arizona earlier this month.
DeGrom won two Cy Youngs in New York and inspired kids across every borough in the city to grow their hair long. When he went out to center field to warm up, the huge video board just above him played a minute-long highlight reel concluding with a “Welcome Back” message and a few bars of deGrom’s entrance music, Lynrd Skynrd’s “Simple Man.” But it was still 25 minutes before first pitch; the seating bowl was mostly empty. Those in their seats did give him a nice round of applause.
DeGrom tipped his cap, gave a brief smile and went back to work. So much for emotions.
The Rangers’ Big First Inning and Its Impact
Instead, he took advantage of the situation and put the Rangers in great position to take a road series against a club with a winning record for just the fourth time this year. By going seven, a day after an off day, it kept the bullpen exceptionally fresh. The Mets, gasping to keep a grasp on the final NL wild card, used five relievers a night after they used four at Philadelphia. It all means, the Rangers have a fresh bullpen for the weekend; the Mets’ is exhausted.
It was all made possible by the Rangers scoring six runs in the top of the first. It was their biggest first inning of the year. It was ripped from a textbook on championship-caliber baseball.
The Rangers took three walks. All three of them became runs. The Rangers had four two-out, two-strike hits with runners in scoring position; they’d had more in a game only once this season. In the process of batting around, they chased Mets starter Jonah Tong.
And, of course, it was those Little Rascals who did the most damage. Cody Freeman had a two-strike single with the bases loaded to score two runs. Michael Helman, having the greatest week ever, doubled with two strikes to score two more. Helman has two homers and nine RBIs in four games this week and has reached seven times in 14 plate appearances.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, Jacob deGrom’s return to Citi Field was a success, with the Rangers winning their fifth straight game and deGrom pitching seven innings on just 88 pitches. The Rangers’ big first inning and deGrom’s performance were the key factors in their win. The Mets’ tribute to deGrom was nice, but he didn’t let emotions get in the way of his performance.
FAQs
Q: How many games have the Rangers won in a row?
A: The Rangers have won five games in a row.
Q: How many innings did deGrom pitch in the game?
A: DeGrom pitched seven innings in the game.
Q: How many runs did the Rangers score in the first inning?
A: The Rangers scored six runs in the first inning.
Q: Who had a two-strike single with the bases loaded to score two runs?
A: Cody Freeman had a two-strike single with the bases loaded to score two runs.
