David took on Goliath.
Chris Bassitt, 34, Toronto Blue Jays, improved to 6-4 on the season with a 7⅔-inning, three-hit start against the New York Mets at Citi Field in Flushing, N.Y., on Wednesday (3 March), striking out eight and walking none. His ERA was 3.41.
스포츠토토 Bassitt joined Toronto on a three-year, $63 million contract. He went 3-2 with a 5.18 ERA in six games in April, with the exception of his debut (3 April against the St. Louis Cardinals – nine runs in 3⅓ innings). He went 2-2 with a 2.43 ERA in May, but struggled in his final two starts, allowing nine runs in 10⅓ innings.
Bassitt is signed to the Mets for the 2022 season. He pitched a perfect game against his second hometown team. He gave up a 92 mph fastball to Jeff McNeil with two outs in the first, but got Pete Alonso to ground out to first on a cutter. Slower, slower, slower in the second inning. In the second inning, he hit a 73-mph sweeper to Starling Marte. Threw a 70.1 mph curve to Mark Vientos.
In the third inning, he gave up a single and a walk to Mark Canha and then a pair of errors to give up a run. However, he retired the next four batters in order. A 69.6 mph (112 km/h) curveball to Brett Betts in the fourth and a 69.7 mph curveball to Kanha in the fifth. With two outs in the seventh, he got Vientes to ground out to shortstop with a 91-mph sinker. Again, a 70 mph curve was the spice. In the eighth, Kanha once again used his 69.9-mph curveball.
Bassett’s opponent was Justin Verlander (40), the all-time major league wins leader (246). Verlander pitched well, too. He gave up one run on five hits (one home run) in six innings with eight strikeouts and three walks, but Bassett was better and took the loss. Three losses on the season. His ERA is 4.25.
For Verlander, the leadoff single to start the game hurt. He gave up a two-pitch 95-mph high fastball to George Springer for a mid-month solo shot, but then pitched a perfect sixth inning. With two outs in the sixth, he bowled a 96.2 mph (155 km/h) fastball to Dalton Bashaw, meaning Bassett and Boulander had a maximum of 43 km/h on the day. But the 43 kilometres slower Bassett had the last laugh. Toronto won 3-0.