ST. LOUIS _ Jacob deGrom's afternoon began like so many others. He lounged in the clubhouse, then played cards with his batterymate, Travis d'Arnaud. From there, he started his preparations for a game that would typify his season of extremes.
In seven innings against the Cardinals on Friday night, deGrom allowed a career-high four homers, all of them solo shots. Twice, the Cardinals went yard back-to-back.
Yet, the Mets held off the Cardinals 6-5, and deGrom emerged with his ninth victory to cap off what has been an eventful first half for the Mets de facto staff ace.
Volatility has cursed the Mets' starting rotation, and deGrom had been the poster boy. In a two-start span a month ago, the former All-Star deGrom looked out of sorts while allowing 15 runs in eight innings. The performances raised red flags about whether he was still feeling the after-effects of surgery.
Then deGrom reeled off four straight outings in which he allowed one run or fewer while pitching at least seven innings. In that span, he went 4-0 with an 0.84 ERA before surviving what became an impromptu home run derby against the Cardinals.
If the Mets defy the odds by making a second-half push, deGrom has proved that he can be depended upon, despite the ups and downs.
"He's one of those guys who has a feel for pitching," Mets manager Terry Collins said before the game. "He's got a feel for what he's got to do to get people out. He works hard at it, makes adjustments. When things weren't going good, he grabbed the bull by the horns and said I've got to fix it. And he did."
The Mets took a 2-0 lead when Jose Reyes lined a solo shot in the second. Meanwhile, deGrom retired the first six batters he faced. But in the third, things turned.
In a season that has been defined by a leaguewide spike in homers, deGrom has been particularly victimized by the long ball. He began the day having allowed 1.2 homers per nine innings, a career high. Things would get worse.
Randal Grichuk's solo shot in the third was the 15th homer off deGrom this season, equaling his total from a year ago. Moments later, Paul DeJong followed with another solo shot, the 16th off deGrom, tying a career high.
In the fourth, after the Mets took a 4-2 lead, deGrom gave it right back. He did so by establishing a record he did not want. Dexter Fowler's solo shot to lead off the frame was the 17th homer off deGrom this season. Moments later, Jedd Gyorko followed with a homer of his own to tie the game.
But just when the night appeared lost, deGrom settled in, using a pair of double plays to keep the Cardinals off the board.
Jay Bruce homered off Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez in the fifth, allowing the Mets to reclaim the lead.
And deGrom would not surrender it.
Bruce finished with three hits, T.J. Rivera knocked in a pair of runs, and Addison Reed closed it out in the ninth for his 15th save. The Mets (39-45) snapped a three-game losing streak.
