Jacob deGrom tossed seven scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts Friday to help the Mets beat the Dodgers 3-1 in Game 1 of their National League Division Series.
DeGrom's strikeouts tied Tom Seaver's single-game franchise postseason record set in Game 1 of the 1973 NLCS against the Reds. It's also the first time a pitcher has struck out 13 batters and surrendered zero runs in his postseason debut since Tim Lincecum in 2010.
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Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy opened the scoring with a solo home run in the fourth inning. David Wright added insurance in the seventh inning with a two-run, bases-loaded single against reliever Pedro Baez.
Adrian Gonzalez gave the home fans something to cheer about when he drove in Howie Kendrick in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Mets closer Jeurys Familia retired Justin Turner on lineout to first to end the inning. Familia then retired the side in order in the ninth for the four-out save.
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This was the Mets' first playoff win since 2006 — the last year they were in the postseason.
Score: Mets 3, Dodgers 1
Hero: Wright delivered a two-run single in the top of the seventh inning to give the Mets a 3-0 lead. It was Wright's first bases-loaded hit in the seventh inning or later since a walk-off single against Jonathan Papelbon in 2012. It also gave him eight RBIs in 11 postseason starts.
Goat: Clayton Kershaw. Whether he deserves it or not, the three-time Cy Young winner and reigning NL MVP will take the brunt of the blame for getting outdueled by deGrom. On one end, Kershaw has allowed three or more runs in his last four postseason starts, but he also struck out 11 batters and gave up just four hits in 6 2/3 innings pitched. Still, the Dodgers expect more from their ace.
Takeaway: The Mets boast one of the deepest and most talented pitching staffs in baseball, so falling behind in a five-game series isn't what Los Angeles was looking for. The Dodgers lacked continuity in their lineup throughout most of the regular season due to injuries and inconsistent play, but someone needs to step up and lead this offense if they're going to make a comeback.
What's next: Game 2 Saturday at 9:10 p.m. ET on TBS — Dodgers Cy Young hopeful Zack Greinke (19-3, 1.66 ERA) faces off against Mets rookie sensation Noah Syndergaard (9-7, 3.24 ERA).