Schwei's Mets Notes: More Lows Than Highs To Start The Season
By John Schweibacher
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The Mets are off to a slow start.
The Amazins' are 2-4, including a 10-3 loss to the Marlins on Monday night.
New York started 10-0 at Citi Field last year, but has dropped its last three at home, including a 5-2 defeat to the Phillies on Sunday. The Mets did not drop their second game to the Phillies in 2015 until Sept. 1, after winning 13 of the first 14 meetings.
Ryan Howard's fifth-inning solo home run was all the offense the Phillies would need in their 1-0 win over the Mets on Saturday. It was the fifth time in club history the Mets lost to the Phils, 1-0, with the lone run coming on a home run:
· 4/9/16, Ryan Howard
· 9/9/97, Rico Brogna
· 5/20/71, Deron Johnson
· 6/28/66, Bill White
· 5/5/65, Jim Bunning
Jacob deGrom allowed one run over six innings to get the victory in the Mets' 7-2 win over the Phillies in their home opener last Friday afternoon. It was deGrom's first start at Citi Field since the final game of the 2015 regular season. All four of his postseason starts were on the road last year -- two at Dodger Stadium, one at Wrigley Field and the other at Kauffman Stadium.
The Elias Sports Bureau notes that the Mets are now 6-0 in the games that deGrom has started against the Phillies, and deGrom is 11-2 with a 1.30 ERA over in 19 career daytime starts.
Noah Syndergaard struck out nine and did not allow a run in the Mets' 2-0 win over the Royals on Tuesday. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he became the first player in major league history to defeat the defending World Series winner on the road without allowing a run and while striking out at least nine his first start of a season. It marked the fourth time in Mets' history they bounced back from an Opening Day loss with a shutout win in their second game of the season:
· 2016: loss at KC 4-3; Win at KC 2-0; WP: Noah Syndergaard
· 1990: loss vs. Pit 12-3; Win vs. Pit 3-0; WP: Frank Viola
· 1984: loss at Cin 8-1; Win at Cin 2-0; WP: Ron Darling
· 1968: loss at SF 5-4; Win at LA 4-0; WP: Jerry Koosman
It was also the 12th time overall the Mets' first win of the season was a shutout victory.
The Royals picked up where they left off last November with a 4-3 win on April 3. Matt Harvey took the loss, allowing four runs in his first Opening Day start. Harvey joins the following Mets pitchers who were defeated in their first Opening Day outing for the club:
· 4/3/16; NYM 3 at KC 4; Matt Harvey
· 4/1/11; NYM 2 at Fla 6; Mike Pelfrey
· 3/31/03; Chi 15 at NYM 3; Tom Glavine
· 3/29/00; Chi 5 vs. NYM 3; Mike Hampton
· 4/5/99; NYM 2 at Fla 6; Al Leiter
· 4/2/84; NYM 1 at Cin 8; Mike Torrez
· 4/11/67; Pit 6 at NYM 3; Don Cardwell
· 4/15/66; Atl 3 at NYM 2; Jack Fisher
· 4/14/64; NYM 3 at Phi 5; Al Jackson
· 4/11/62; NYM 4 at Stl 11; Roger Craig
Happy Recap: Jim Henderson. Mets reliever has struck out seven of the nine batters he has faced in three perfect innings over his first three appearances.
Nine Miles of Rough Road: Curtis Granderson. The Mets' leadoff hitter went 1-for-20 with three walks in their first five games.
