So far this year, the Mets’ rotation had been Matt Harvey, Jon Niese and not much else. But heretofore-struggling Dillon Gee soothed those worries and shook off his own woes, pitching the Mets to a 2-0 shutout of Washington yesterday and a series win over one of the best teams in baseball.
Gee (1-3) scattered three hits in 5 ¹/₃ shutout innings, smothering Washington before 26,225 at Citi Field. It was an auspicious bounceback start for the back end of the rotation, and Gee in particular, who earned his first win since returning to the mound from surgery to replace a damaged artery in his right shoulder.
“It’s huge,” Gee said. “We know, it’s no secret. We know we’ve got to step up the back end, and we haven’t been doing how we’d like. That’s the truth. We’ve got to step it up, and I’m just glad I was able to do my part. It’s been really eating away at me the past few weeks, not doing my job, so it feels good.’’
Harvey and Niese are 7-1, but the rest of the rotation had been 1-7 with a 6.87 ERA, including Gee’s 8.36. He had been forced to stew since being shelled for five earned runs in just 4 ²/₃ innings at Colorado.
“I needed to step it up. I knew I had to turn it around and do my job,’’ said Gee. “It was definitely in the back of my mind that I hadn’t been getting it done and something had to change.’’
The young Texan had reason to think it would. He insists the freezing weather in Colorado didn’t bring back the numbness he felt before his surgery last July 13, but admits he cut his ring finger on a treadmill in Philadelphia, making it impossible to snap off his trademark changeup against the Rockies.
He got back to it yesterday, and kept the Nationals befuddled.
“I think [Gee] needed it bad. It’s a great confidence builder for him. It’s huge for him,’’ said manager Terry Collins. “We’re counting on Dillon Gee. … When you’re the No. 3 guy, that’s a pretty big role to fill. [It] was a huge start for him and for the ballclub to rally around him, because he’s a guy we’ve got to have.’’
After surrendering consecutive singles in the first, he popped up Ian Desmond and only gave up one more hit — Jayson Werth’s third-inning single. By then catcher John Buck had given them a lead with his 460-foot, second-inning solo shot into the left field deck, and they added a Mike Baxter RBI sacrific fly in the fourth.
“With our division we have to look at it as — not only for our psyche but in the standings — we have to beat teams like that,’’ Buck said of Washington, who had beaten the Mets in seven straight series. “Anytime we can take a series from any [division] team it feels good. It has to be our goal and mindset. It’s good for the psyche.”
Gee tired in the sixth, walking three after not walking any through the first five frames. But Buck threw out Denard Span, and LaTroy Hawkins came on with two on and two out to catch Desmond looking.
Scott Rice put Steve Lombardozzi and Span on in the eighth and went 3-0 on Werth, but when Werth swung away Rice induced a double-play and fanned Bryce Harper on a sinker. Bobby Parnell pitched the ninth for his second save.
“Jayson Werth gets paid a lot of money to drive in runs, so he’s going to be hacking in those situations,’’ said Rice. “I was able to make the pitch when it mattered and get out of it.’’