Apr 23, 2021 3 min read

Jacob deGrom struck out a career-high 15, pitched a two-hitter and boosted the sagging Mets’ offense with a go-ahead double from the No. 8 spot in the batting order, powering New York over the Washington Nationals 6-0 Friday night.

DeGrom has struck out 43 in his last three starts and 50 overall this season, breaking the major league record for most in a pitcher’s first four starts set just last weekend by Cleveland ace Shane Bieber with 48.

Perennially plagued by a lack of run support, just like Mets star Tom Seaver decades earlier, deGrom lowered his career ERA to 2.55 and overtook Seaver (2.57) as New York’s franchise leader.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner retired the final 19 batters of his second shutout and fourth complete game in 187 starts, walking none.

Brandon Nimmo hit his first home run of the season, an eighth-inning drive off Kyle McGowin, and had four RBIs. The Mets stopped a three-game slide after getting to Citi Field at 4:15 a.m. after a Thursday night game at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.

Chicago Cubs 15, Milwaukee 2: Jake Marisnick homered and matched a career high with five RBIs, and the Chicago Cubs pounded the Milwaukee Brewers 15-2 for their fourth straight victory.

Anthony Rizzo, Javier Báez and Willson Contreras also connected for Chicago, which was coming off a three-game sweep of the New York Mets. Nico Hoerner had three hits in his first start of the season.

Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks (1-2) pitched six innings of two-run ball in his first win of the season. He struck out six and walked one, bouncing back nicely after a rough start against Atlanta.

Milwaukee had won three in a row. Kolten Wong and Billy McKinney hit consecutive homers in the sixth, but that was it for the Brewers’ offense.

American League

Toronto 5, Tampa Bay 3: Steven Matz won his fourth consecutive start, Marcus Semien hit a three-run homer, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-3.

Oakland 3, Baltimore 1: The Oakland Athletics earned their 12th consecutive victory – their longest winning streak in almost two decades – defeating the Baltimore Orioles 3-1.

Twins call up Kiriloff: The sputtering Minnesota Twins shelved another regular on Friday, placing first baseman Miguel Sanó on the 10-day injured list with a strained right hamstring.

Sanó is batting .111 with two home runs and 20 strikeouts in 45 at-bats. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons, right fielder Max Kepler and left fielder Kyle Garlick are three of the five players currently on Minnesota’s COVID-19 injured list.

Infielder Travis Blankenhorn and catcher Tomás Telis were also returned to the team’s alternate training site. Outfielders Alex Kirilloff and Tzu-Wei Lin and infielder Nick Gordon were promoted to fill the open roster spots.

Kirilloff, one of baseball’s top prospects who made his debut in the playoffs last year, can also play first base.