Jenrry Mejia pitched on back-to-back days for the first time in four years, clearing the last hurdle to becoming the Mets’ closer.
“I feel pretty good. It was a long time since I pitched back-to-backs; but not bad. I was ready for that day,’’ Mejia said after getting the save in the Mets’ 5-3 win over the Dodgers on Thursday night. “I feel good; nothing hurts. … That’s very important for me and the team.’’
Mejia threw a perfect ninth, earning his second save of the year. He threw 15 pitches after needing just eight in a 1-2-3 ninth on Wednesday, the first time he had thrown on consecutive days since June 5-6, 2010.
“It’s big I’ll tell you, it’s big for me; it’s huge for him. The one thing he’s worried about is his arm,’’ Terry Collins said. “If he knows [Friday] he can get through this, it’s going to be a huge addition for us.’’
Eric Campbell got his first big league start in left field, and Collins said he’ll not only use the versatile rookie in the middle of the infield as well, but even has him working out to be the third catcher. Campbell said he has played everywhere except catcher and center field.
Despite a mindless base running gaffe, Yasiel Puig had a dazzling diving catch to rob Wilmer Flores in the second inning.
“That was about as good a catch as I’ve ever seen,’’ Collins said. “I’ve only seen one other catch better than that the one: Jim Edmonds diving on the warning track. But that was the second-best catch I’ve ever seen.’’
Zack Greinke allowed three runs, snapping a streak of 21 straight allowing two runs or fewer, the longest since at least 1914. But since two of the runs were unearned, he still has gone 22 straight games allowing two earned runs or fewer to break the mark by Roger Clemens from July 3, 1990-May 13, 1991.
Juan Lagares had the go-ahead RBI single in the seventh. He’s hitting .347 while batting leadoff.
“When he came up I looked at him like [Carlos] Gomez in Milwaukee, that kind of a player,’’ Collins said.
Curtis Granderson had a double and a triple, and is hitting .310 with 14 RBIs in 19 May games.
“The right fielder’s starting to warm up,” Collins said. “This is going to be a different looking team.’’
Travis d’Arnaud (seven-day concussion disabled list) was cleared to resume baseball activities. He did some on-field work Thursday — running, throwing and hitting in a cage — and hopes to take batting practice Friday.
The Mets have offered no timetable for d’Arnaud’s return to the lineup.
Collins said he wants the young catcher to get some at-bats on a rehab assignment — which the team doctors would have to approve — but he wasn’t sure if d’Arnaud would have to be moved to the 15-day DL to do so.