PITTSBURGH — Jacob deGrom threw seven dominant innings and the New York Mets routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-0 on Wednesday night to complete a doubleheader sweep that thrust them back into sole possession of first place in the NL East.
DeGrom (5-1) struck out eight and walked one to win his third straight start for New York, which rode seven strong innings from Chris Bassitt to a 5-1 victory in Game 1.
The Mets piled on Pittsburgh starter Johan Oviedo (2-2) and a handful of relievers to pound out 17 hits in support of deGrom. New York put up 15 runs on Wednesday after managing four in a three-game skid that briefly dropped the team into a tie with the Braves for the division lead.
Francisco Lindor doubled twice and drove in three runs in Game 2. Jeff McNeil and Eduardo Escobar each added three hits in the nightcap. Escobar also homered earlier in the day and went 6 for 9 in the twinbill.
DeGrom got off to a somewhat shaky start, allowing consecutive singles to Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds leading off the bottom of the first. It was a mirage. A double play and a groundball got him out of the inning and after that, deGrom quickly settled in.
The 34-year-old righty retired 16 of 17 batters during one stretch and didn’t allow his third hit until Reynolds singled with one out in the sixth. By then the Mets were already firmly in control.
New York took advantage of shoddy command by Oviedo, acquired in a trade that sent veteran left-hander Jose Quintana to St. Louis in July. Oviedo walked five of the 11 batters he faced while giving up four runs in 1 2/3 innings.
Eric Stout came on in relief in the second and promptly gave up a two-run single to Lindor as New York went up 4-0 and cruised from there behind its ace.
The Pirates are 5-20 in their last 25 games and have lost eight games this season by at least 10 runs.
Bassitt (13-7) struck out 10 over seven innings in the opener, helping New York avoid its first four-game skid of the season. His 13 victories are a career best, topping the 12 games he won for Oakland in 2021.
And while the Braves have steadily chipped away at New York’s lead in the East - which grew to 10 1/2 games at one point - Bassitt insisted the Mets aren’t panicked by the push from the reigning World Series champions.
“I’m sure that the world was going crazy, but, I mean, we’re fine,” he said.
Tyler Naquin hit a three-run homer to the bullpen beyond the center-field fence for his 11th homer of the season. Escobar followed with a high drive to the seats above the 21-foot high Clemente Wall in right that staked the Mets to a 5-0 lead.
“I think it’s a reminder of what he’s capable of doing,” New York manager Buck Showalter said of Escobar, who has three home runs in his last six games and is a .431 career hitter (38 for 88) against Pittsburgh.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: RF Starling Marte sat out both games and is day-to-day with a non-displaced fracture in the middle finger of his right (throwing) hand. Marte was hit by a 96 mph fastball from Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller in the first inning Tuesday. ... New York placed RHP Max Scherzer on the 15-day injured list with left side irritation and called up left-handed reliever Alex Claudio from Triple-A Syracuse.
ON THE MOVE
The Pirates recalled infielder Hoy Park from Triple-A Indianapolis, and claimed 1B/C Zack Collins off waivers from Toronto and RHP Junior Fernandez off waivers from St. Louis. To make room on the 40-man roster for Collins and Fernandez, the Pirates designated left-handed reliever Cam Vieaux and utility infielder Josh VanMeter for assignment. VanMeter hit .187 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 67 games for Pittsburgh.
UP NEXT
Mets: Off on Thursday before beginning a three-game series in Miami on Friday. LHP David Peterson (7-3, 3.32 ERA) will likely start in place of Scherzer.
Pirates: Finish up a nine-game homestand with a visit by NL Central-leading St. Louis beginning Friday. Roansy Contreras (4-4, 3.41) starts for Pittsburgh against veteran Miles Mikolas (11-10, 3.32).
