NEW YORK – Jacob deGrom pitched his way into the history book Wednesday. Jeff McNeil made sure it came in a winning effort.
McNeil came up with a walk-off, two-run single to lift the Mets past Milwaukee, 4-3, in eight innings in the opening game of a doubleheader.
DeGrom received a no-decision after striking out 10 and allowed two runs in seven innings.
Jose Peraza sent the game to extras with a game-tying, pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the seventh.
The Brewers answered back an inning later when closer Edwin Diaz plunked Christian Yelich with the bases loaded.
But McNeil delivered the knockout blow after the Mets loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth.
Earlier in the day, DeGrom became the second-fastest pitcher to 1,500 strikeouts when he retired Willy Adames in the fourth inning. He waved to the crowd, tossed the ball to the Mets dugout and fanned the next batter to end the inning. The milestone came in deGrom's 198th career game, putting him only one behind Yu Darvish for the major league record.
DeGrom finished the game – and perhaps the first half of the season – with a 1.08 ERA over 15 starts.
Manager Luis Rojas hinted though that the four-time All-Star could be used on short rest on Sunday in an opener role.
"I just want to get through today and see how he feels," Rojas said before the doubleheader. "Then we can get into those conversations more seriously."
Only of the only knocks against deGrom came in the first at-bat of the game. Brewer infielder Luis Urias shocked a scattered Citi Field crowd when he pulled a 99-mph fastball into the left field seats.
DeGrom bounced back and retired the next 13 batters, eliciting "MVP" chants from the home crowd. The right-hander has not allowed more than three earned runs in his last 31 starts -- a streak that dates back to Sept. 9, 2019.
Offense goes quiet
The Mets tied the score at 1 in the first inning with a quick run off starter Corbin Burnes. It all started with Brandon Nimmo, who has thrived as the Mets table-setter since returning from a torn ligament in his left hand.
Nimmo worked a seven-pitch double to lead off the inning before scoring on a bloop single by Francisco Lindor.
Only two batters in, the Mets had two hits and a run off one of the NL's top pitchers.
It looked like another positive sign for an offense that has hovered near the bottom of the league in scoring.
Yet that was all Burnes (2.36 ERA) would surrender over 5 2/3 innings of work.
The Mets wasted a chance in the sixth inning when they loaded the bases. Pete Alonso crushed a two-out double and Jeff McNeil (infield single) and Michael Conforto (hit by pitch) kept the rally alive.
Reliver Devin Williams then got Luis Guillorme to ground to second to end the inning unscathed.
