How Jacob deGrom Won Game 5 Without His Best Stuff

Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom gave up two runs in the first and didn’t have his first 1-2-3 inning until the 6th. So how was he so effective against the Dodgers in the Game 5 NLDS victory?

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 15: Jacob deGrom #48 of the New York Mets reacts while on the mound in the fifth inning while taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers in game five of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 15, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

While Los Angeles scored a pair of runs in the first frame, they had many more opportunities to add onto it and never could. In fact, they were 0 for their last 11 with RISP.

“He holds the ball for quite a while and he accelerates so fast and his arm speed is so fast,” said TBS Analyst Predo Martinez. “I believe this guy is a lot more difficult to hit from the stretch when he holds the ball for so long and then he accelerates to you at 97-98. It’s really difficult to center when he jumps on you.”

“He’s so tall though," said TBS' Dusty Baker, "it’s easy for him to stay compact out of the stretch and out of the wind up.”

It was six innings that deGrom eventually pitched, allowing six hits, two runs, three walks and seven strikeouts.

"Early on I was having a tough time locating, especially with the fast ball," said Jacob deGrom, after the game on MLB Network. "I had three walks tonight and I was having a hard time getting my fast ball down and that’s normally how I attack hitters."

“He’s going to be a great pitcher,” said Mets manager Terry Collins. “On the nights you don’t have your best stuff and you can still go out there and pitch like that and work, and get out of trouble pretty much the whole game.”

Game 1 of the NLCS is on Saturday night at 8:07p ET on 'Your Home for New York Sports', 104.5 The Team.