Nimmo's Pinch-Hit HR Rallies Mets Past LA Dodgers; DeGrom Gets ND
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pinch-hitter Brandon Nimmo slugged a go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth inning, rallying the New York Mets past the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 on Monday night in Jacob deGrom's latest stellar no-decision.
New York snapped a 12-game skid against Los Angeles. The loss ended the Dodgers' three-game winning streak and dropped them out of first in the NL West. They trail Colorado by a half-game.
DeGrom pitched six innings of one-run ball and drove in the tying run for the Mets, but didn't factor into the decision. He extended his streak of 25 consecutive starts of three earned runs or less, breaking a tie with Dwight Gooden (1985) for the longest run in Mets history.
Jay Bruce opened the ninth with a double off Kenta Maeda (8-9) and was sacrificed to third by Kevin Plawecki. Maeda hit Jeff McNeil with a pitch before Nimmo's second career pinch-hit homer went over the right-field wall.
The Dodgers closed to 4-2 in the ninth on Yasmani Grandal's sacrifice fly. Matt Kemp followed as a pinch-hitter but grounded into a game-ending double play after providing game-ending hits in the ninth the previous two days.
The Mets hadn't beaten the Dodgers since May 27, 2016, New York's longest losing stretch against them in team history.
Drew Smith (1-0) got the win with one inning of relief. Robert Gsellman worked the ninth for his 10th save.
The Dodgers have scored three runs or fewer in their last six games.
Justin Turner went deep in the first to put the Dodgers up 1-0, just the ninth homer off deGrom this season.
DeGrom allowed two hits. He struck out six — snapping a run of six straight starts with at least nine — and walked one. His 20 straight quality starts are the longest active streak in the majors and the longest in franchise history. Despite that, the NL Cy Young Award candidate is 8-8 this season.
At the plate, deGrom was 2 for 2, and his two-out RBI single in the fifth drove in the Mets' first run.
The Dodgers ran up deGrom's pitch count in the sixth when he needed 34 pitches against the heart of their order. After deGrom struck out Joc Pederson, Turner worked a 12-pitch at-bat into putting the go-ahead run at first on an error by shortstop Amed Rosario. DeGrom struck out Manny Machado on seven pitches and Max Muncy grounded out to second to end deGrom's outing.
With Seth Lugo pitching in the seventh, the Dodgers had runners at the corners with one out. Alex Verdugo doubled leading off and Cody Bellinger followed with a single to set up Yasiel Puig. But he grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Los Angeles had runners at second and third with two outs in the eighth when Enrique Hernandez flied out to center.
Dodgers starter Alex Wood gave up one run and five hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked two.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: C Devin Mesoraco singled in the fifth and then left the game because of neck and back stiffness. ... INF David Wright, trying to come back after surgeries on his neck, right shoulder and back in addition to chronic spinal stenosis, will continue taking ground balls and hit in the cage. Without more minor league games for him to play in, manager Mickey Callaway says the team will need to get creative in offering Wright game-like situations. Callaway was non-committal about the possibility of Wright being activated during the next homestand, saying he will be re-evaluated on a daily basis.
Dodgers: They're evaluating whether closer Kenley Jansen will make the trip to Colorado on Friday. He experienced an irregular heartbeat and went on the 10-day DL during his last visit. If doctors say the high altitude could affect him, he would likely stay back. ... RHP Walker Buehler, who experienced muscle spasms in his left foot during Sunday's start, had precautionary X-rays that were negative. He expects to make his next start.
UP NEXT
LHP Jason Vargas (5-8, 6.56 ERA) starts for the Mets on Tuesday. His three-game winning streak is his longest since taking four in a row last September. He recently notched his 1,000th career strikeout. LHP Rich Hill (6-5, 3.59) goes for the Dodgers. In five starts against New York, he is 1-2 with a 7.66 ERA, averaging 11.28 strikeouts per nine innings.
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