Jacob deGrom: Gutsy Performance Leads Mets to a Series Win

from: newyork. cbslocal.com
Jacob deGrom (pictured) won 2 games in the NLDS against the Dodgers.

Howie Rose stated it last night in his call of the final out of the Mets improbable series victory against the L.A. Dodgers.  He said, “Jacob deGrom was every bit the bulldog that Orel Hershiser was” on the mound last night.

Orel Hershiser was one of the best pitchers in baseball in the 1980s and into the 90s and although he did have great stuff, he earned a reputation for “bulldogging” his way through games when he ‘didn’t have it’.

There was a degree of symmetry as Orel Hershiser through out the first pitch before game 5 at Dodger Stadium last night, and Ron Darling was in the ballpark as part of the tv broadcast.  Hershiser had pitched a complete game shutout clinching the NLCS in 1988, the last time the Mets and Dodgers played a winner take all game against each other in the playoffs.

But last night, it as deGrom who was the bulldog.

After struggling in the first inning, and allowing 2 runs, deGrom battled through jam after jam getting through  6 solid innings and allowing just the 2 runs that the Dodgers scored in the first frame.

After walking just 1 batter in his game 1 start, deGrom walked 3 last night, and battled command issues all night, but made do with what he had, discovering his curveball the second time through the lineup to navigate the game.

A lesser starter may have been knocked out in the first or second inning and the Mets had warm-up action in the pen all evening, but deGrom proved why he is ‘in the conversation’ for the NL Cy Young, coming up with his second win of the series, ad sending the Mets to the NLCS.