Mets turn to deGrom in rubber game vs. Marlins (May 23, 2018)
NEW YORK -- It took several pitchers to finally restore a state of normalcy to the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night. The New York Mets will look to just one pitcher to do the same Wednesday, when they host the Marlins in the finale of a three-game series at Citi Field.
The Marlins earned a 5-1 win on Tuesday night, when Caleb Smith and three relievers combined on a five-hitter.
A pair of right-handers are scheduled to oppose one another Wednesday night, when the Marlins' Dan Straily (2-0, 3.60 ERA) will take the mound against the Mets' Jacob deGrom (4-0, 1.75 ERA).
The win Tuesday snapped a three-game losing streak for the Marlins (18-30), who needed a clean victory to finally expunge the memories of Sunday's 10-9 loss to the Atlanta Braves in which Brad Ziegler and Tayron Guerrero combined to give up six runs in the ninth inning.
On Tuesday, though, Ziegler needed just six pitches to throw a perfect ninth inning in a non-save situation. A night earlier, Guerrero tossed a scoreless eighth inning in the Marlins' 2-0 loss.
"It was good to get Tayron out there, even (Monday) night, to get him back on the mound, get Zig back out there," Marlins manager Don Mattingly told reporters Tuesday night. "So, all our guys that gave up any kind of runs the other day came out and threw zeroes."
The Mets (24-20) are used to watching deGrom throw zeroes.
The 29-year-old ace had his career-high scoreless streak snapped at 24 2/3 innings last Friday, when he allowed one run over seven innings and earned the win as New York began a four-game winning streak by beating the Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-1.
The start was the second for deGrom since he suffered a hyperextended right elbow while batting against the Braves on May 2. DeGrom struggled in his return on May 13, when he walked the bases loaded and was pulled after throwing 45 pitches in a scoreless first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies.
"I think you always have that concern when guys' schedules and routines get a little off-kilter," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said Friday night. "But he kind of showed up today and he wasn't too worried about it, obviously."
The Mets' schedules and routines were altered Tuesday, when former All-Star outfielder Jose Bautista signed with the club in the afternoon, took a plane from Tampa to New York and arrived at Citi Field a little more than half an hour before first pitch. He went right into the starting lineup in left field, a position he had not played since 2009, and doubled in his first at-bat before coming around to score his new team's only run of the game.
"One of my wildest (days) in baseball," Bautista told reporters afterward. "Just sitting at home on the couch at 2 o'clock and at 6:30, I was walking in the clubhouse."
Straily earned the win in his most recent start last Friday, when he allowed three hits over seven scoreless innings as the Marlins beat the Braves, 2-0. He is 1-1 with a 3.48 ERA in four career starts against the Mets.
DeGrom is 4-4 with a 3.94 ERA in 13 career starts against the Marlins.
