Jacob deGrom’s return from the injured list at least provided a sense of normalcy to the Mets rotation Tuesday.
A lineup besieged by injuries is another story altogether, but the Mets have their ace and a solid bullpen behind him. That represents a decent starting point for a team still clinging to the NL East lead.
Over five innings, deGrom resembled his usual self and the Mets eked out enough offense to snap a three-game skid with a 3-1 victory over the Rockies at Citi Field.
DeGrom, back from the right-side tightness that cost him two starts, returned to the mound throwing 100 mph and allowed one run on three hits with nine strikeouts over five innings, departing after 63 pitches. The right-hander threw 41 pitches over three innings in a rehab start for Single-A St. Lucie last Thursday.
On this night he became the first pitcher in Mets history with seven consecutive starts to begin the season in which he allowed one earned run or less.

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Miguel Castro followed with two shutout innings before Trevor May and Edwin Diaz got to the finish line with a scoreless frame apiece. Diaz earned his eighth save in as many chances this season.
The latest iteration of a makeshift lineup included Brandon Drury batting third and Cameron Maybin in center field, a night after Johneshwy Fargas departed with a shoulder injury. Fargas remained on the roster, but unavailable to play as the Mets awaited further evaluation of the rookie outfielder’s MRI exam results. The Mets totaled nine hits and had opportunities to build a cushion, but finished 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. That included loading the bases in the eighth when Maybin (who is 0-for-21 since joining the Mets) walked on four pitches from Robert Stephenson.
Tomas Nido gave the Mets a 3-1 lead in the sixth on a two-run homer against Chi Chi Gonzalez. The blast was Nido’s third of the season and second within seven games to give the Mets a late lead; he homered in the ninth inning the previous Tuesday in Atlanta.
Ryan McMahon cleared the fence in left-center in the second to tie it 1-1. The homer was the first allowed by deGrom in five starts, dating to April 17, when the Rockies’ Raimel Tapia took him deep. In that same game, deGrom struck out nine straight batters to come within one of Tom Seaver’s major league record.
The Mets got aggressive in the first inning, utilizing a double steal with Jonathan Villar and Francisco Lindor to take a 1-0 lead. After Villar singled and Lindor walked, executed the double steal. James McCann followed with an RBI groundout that gave the Mets a 1-0 lead.
Mishaps on the bases cost the Mets later. In the third, Villar appeared to steal third, but the call was overturned by a replay challenge. In the fourth, deGrom was called out at second on a replay challenge after attempting to stretch a single into a double. On the play, deGrom’s foot appeared to leave the bag with the tag still applied to him.