Jacob deGrom makes history in Mets debut

It was the most unlikely match-up to result in a pitcher’s duel – Jacob deGrom vs. Chase Whitley. Both pitchers were making their Major League debuts, one for the Mets, the other for the Yankees. One made history on two accounts.

That pitcher was Jacob deGrom. The 25-year old was starting in place of Dillon Gee, who the Mets had just placed on the disabled list. deGrom looked more than up to the task. He went 7 full innings, allowing just four hits and one earned run, while walking two and striking out six. The lone run came at the end of his start, as a throwing error by third baseman David Wright negated an inning-ending double play hit by Brian McCann. Alfonso Soriano was the next batter and beamed a double to left-center that enabled McCann to score from first.

deGrom made history with his performance, becoming the first pitcher in Mets’ history to go 7 innings, allow one run (or fewer) and lose the game. Jacob made history in another category, though, as he broke the 0-for-64 streak by Mets’ pitchers at the plate by blooping a single to short left-center. The hit could have been an RBI single, but Ruben Tejada at second had to wait and see if anyone was going to catch it.