St. Lucie - Jacob deGrom Electric in Rehab Start, Mets Blank Cards 7-0

 

3 hitless innings and 8 strikeouts for deGrom

 

JUPITER, Fla. (May 20, 2021) – Jacob deGrom (side) dominated for three innings in his rehab start on Thursday, as the St. Lucie Mets shut out the Palm Beach Cardinals 7-0 at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

 

DeGrom fired three hitless innings. Eight of the nine outs he recorded came via strikeout. He struck out the side in the second and third innings to end his outing. DeGrom threw 41 pitches. He routinely hit 100 mph and topped out at 102 mph in the first inning.

 

Justin Lasko, Thursday’s scheduled starter before deGrom arrived on rehab assignment, followed deGrom with five scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Lasko scattered two hits, walked two and struck out six to get the win.

 

Brendan Hardy completed the shutout in the ninth when he struck out Terry Fuller to end the game. The three Mets pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts. It was the Mets second shutout in three games and fourth of the season.

 

The Mets gave deGrom and crew all the run supported they needed in the first inning when Zach Ashford drove in Shervyen Newton with a RBI single.

 

The Mets led 1-0 through four innings then added two runs in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

 

Tanner Murphy hit a RBI single in the fifth and Francisco Alvarez hit a long run-scoring double to plate Murphy for a 3-0 lead.

 

Cole Kleszcz yanked a RBI triple into left field in the sixth. Jimmy Titus followed with a sac fly to make it 5-0.

 

Ashford drove in his second run of the night with an infield hit in the seventh. Alvarez completed the scoring by coming home on a passed ball later in the inning.

 

Ashford went 3 for 5. It was his seventh multiple hit game in 13 games.

 

Alvarez went 2 for 4 and reached base three times. Newton was 2 for 5.

 

The Mets are on a season high four-game winning streak. They improved to 7-2 on the road.

 

The Mets (11-4) and Cardinals (5-10) play the fourth game of their six-game series at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.