NEW YORK — Jacob DeGrom was the first pitcher inspected as part of Major League Baseball's crackdown on foreign substances. He passed.
Fans booed loudly when plate umpire Ben May halted deGrom on his way off the field after the first inning. Crew chief Ron Kulpa jogged in from third base and asked deGrom for his glove and hat, and deGrom chuckled as he handed them over. Kulpa also asked deGrom to undo his belt buckle and checked for goop there, too.
Cleared by Kulpa, deGrom walked on to the dugout, laughing with catcher Tomás Nido about the exchange. Pitchers from both teams were checked throughout the game.
deGrom shouldered the load for New York in his return from another injury scare, pitching one-hit ball over five scoreless innings as the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 Monday to open a doubleheader.
DeGrom (7-2) didn't allow a hit in the seven-inning game until Mets outfielders misplayed a fly ball with two outs in the fifth, letting it fall for a ground-rule double. DeGrom threw 70 pitches, 15 of them over 100 mph, with two walks and six strikeouts — a comfort for fans concerned about New York's ace after his last start was cut short by shoulder soreness.
Jeff McNeil came off the injured list and singled as a pinch-hitter for deGrom during New York's three-run fifth inning. He scored on Dominic Smith's three-run double.
Ozzie Albies hit a two-run homer off reliever Seth Lugo for the Braves, who had won three of four but were playing their second doubleheader in two days. Kyle Muller (0-1) pitched one-hit ball over four innings, leaving with a 1-0 deficit in his first big league start.
Mets closer Edwin Díaz finished up the two-hitter, pitching the seventh for his 15th save in 16 chances.