Remembering Mets History: (2015) NLDS Game #1- deGrom Shuts Out Dodgers With 13 Ks

October 9th, 2015: NLDS Game #1- Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles California (Attendance 54,428): Two of the best pitchers in the NL faced off against each other, to open up the long anticipated NLDS as Don Mattingly's Dodgers (92-70) had Clayton Kershaw (16-7 / 2.13 ERA / 301 Ks) on the mound hosting Terry Collins' New York Mets (90-72) with Mets ace Jacob deGrom (14-8 / 2.54 ERA / 205 Ks) going for New York.

Before the Game David Wright Chats with Dodger Legend Sandy Koufax

The "Grandyman" Had two Hits & Walk

In the top of the 1st, Clayton Kershaw threw 22 pitches, mostly because David Wright had a 12 pitch at bat drawing a walk, but the Mets did not score. Jacob deGrom allowed a 1st inning single to Howie Kendrick but struck out three other Dodgers on 98 mph. fastballs.

Kershaw eased through the next two innings, except for a Lucas Duda single in the 2nd & a Curtis Granderson base hit in the 3rdt. 

In the bottom of the 3rd Mets left fielder Michael Cuddyer misplayed fly ball resulting in a ground rule double. But deGrom struck out Adrian Gonzales to end the inning. 

In the top of 4th inning, Daniel Murphy broke the ice & put the Mets on the board with a long HR to right field. 1-0 Mets. 

In the home 4th another Cuddyer misjudge in left resulted in a hit. After deGrom struck out Andre Either, A.J. Ellis reached on a base hit putting two on. But deGrom got Joc Pederson to fly out & then Kershaw hit a long fly ball to center that Yoenis Cespedes tracked down to end the inning.

Both pitchers put away their opponents over the next two innings. In the top of the 5th Kershaw struck out Ruben Tejada & Jacob deGrom. Curtis Granderson singled but Kershaw also struck out David Wright for the third out.

deGrom struck out two Dodgers in the home 5th & Gonzales again in the 6th, then retired the next two batters as well. The Mets held on to a 1-0 lead going into the 7th.

In the top of the 7th, Lucas Duda led off with a walk & was moved over to second on Michael Cuddyer's soft grounder. Kershaw then walked Ruben Tejada who had an outstanding at bat, drawing the walk after being down 0-2. Jacob deGrom then came to bat and successfully sacrificed the runners over. Curtis Granderson then walked to load the bases.

Dodger Manager Don Mattingly then removed Kershaw from the game bringing in the hard

 throwing Pedro Baez. Mets Captain David Wright, the longest tenured player on the same team in all of baseball delivered. Wright singled up the middle on a 3-2 count, driving in Duda & Tejada making it 3-0 Mets.

Jacob deGrom came on to pitch in the 7th got AJ Ellis to fly out. He then struck out Joc Pederson & to the delight of Mets fans everywhere his 13th strikeout victim of the night was Chase Utley.

Trivia: Jacob deGrom became the only other Mets pitcher besides Tom Seaver to have 13 strike outs in a post season game. 

He also made history becoming the first pitcher to have that many strike outs in his first post season game.

deGrom went seven innings allowed no runs on five hits, one walk & 13 Ks.

Kershaw went 6.2 innings allowing three runs on four hits, walked four & struck out 11 taking the loss.

In the 8th inning, Tyler Clippard came on & gave up a Howie Kendrick double & a single to Adrian Gonzalez single bringing in the Dodgers first run, making it 3-1.

The shaky Tyler Clippard was relieved by Jeurys Familia who came on for the four out save. He got Justin Turner to line out to end the 8th.

In the 9th, three Dodger ground outs ended the game. The Mets took Game #1 on the road 3-1.