'Filthy since Day 1': Red-hot Imanaga in elite company

NEW YORK -- Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga pitched on four days’ rest for the first time in his brief career in the big leagues on Wednesday night -- and it didn’t matter, as he dominated in a 1-0 victory over the Mets at Citi Field.

Entering the game, Imanaga was already the first pitcher in Major League history since at least 1901 to go 4-0 with an ERA under 1.00 in his first five career starts. But he added even more to his legacy on Wednesday, pitching a career-high seven scoreless innings while allowing three hits and striking out seven batters. Imanaga threw 87 pitches (58 strikes). He said the velocity on his fastball was down, but starting with the fifth inning was back to normal, clocking in as high as 93.4 mph.

“In terms of today, my fastball wasn’t at the highest, but I was able to communicate with [catcher Miguel] Amaya and make adjustments,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “I was making sure I wasn’t throwing lazy fastballs in there where [the Mets] could make hard contact. I was trying to avoid the barrel. Some of them, I was lucky, but I was able to adjust.”

It was the first time Imanaga pitched in New York, and the city reminded him of a cartoon character who lived in the Big Apple.

“The view from the hotel, I recognized it from Spider-Man,” Imanaga said. “I was like, ‘Oh, this is where Spider-Man was.’”

Cubs manager Craig Counsell was impressed with how Imanaga fielded his position, especially in the seventh inning. Pete Alonso led off by hitting a slow roller toward first base. Imanaga waved off first baseman Michael Busch, directing him to cover the bag, then ran down the ball and threw Alonso out at first base, flipping the ball to Busch as he fell to the ground.

“That’s just, like, awareness, court awareness, if you can say that in baseball," Counsell said. "It was just a really smart play. He has [done] that multiple times, on top of some great pitching.”

Excluding openers, Imanaga’s 0.78 ERA in his first six career starts is the fourth-lowest mark ever, behind only Bob Shawkey (0.75), Dave Ferris (0.50) and Fernando Valenzuela (0.33).

“There are situations where it could go either way,” Imanaga said. “Looking back, I feel I’ve been pretty lucky, and I know moving forward, those situations, I’m not going to win them all.”

Imanaga’s only trouble came in the second inning. With one out, the Mets put runners on first and second, but Harrison Bader hit into a double play to end the threat. After that inning, Imanaga retired 15 of the next 17 hitters he faced.

"He can pitch,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Fastball plays up. Obviously the split is a pretty good pitch. He's got a little hesitation, and then he's got that quick pitch with no runners on base to mess up a hitter's timing. Breaking ball. Overall, he was pretty good today."

The Cubs scored the only run of the game in the fifth inning against right-hander José Buttó, who was nearly as good as Imanaga, allowing one run over six solid innings. Matt Mervis doubled to start the inning. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Mervis scored on a sacrifice fly from Pete Crow-Armstrong.

“I thought Pete [had a] great at-bat. He fouled off some pitches and stayed in a battle and … got the job done,” Counsell said. “We didn’t have many opportunities tonight. The leadoff double by Matty, and we got it done. “

Mark Leiter Jr. and Yency Almonte combined to pitch the eighth, and Héctor Neris secured the save in the ninth.

The game ended on a disputed double play in which Jeff McNeil flied out to left fielder Ian Happ, who threw to Nick Madrigal, who threw home to Amaya to nab Alonso trying to score the tying run. The call on the field was out and the call stood on review.

“Everything started with a good throw from [Happ], and then [Madrigal] fired to home plate,” Amaya said. “I was ready since I saw the fly ball, set up my lane and immediately when I felt the ball in my glove, I put my knees down. Ever since [the umpire made the call] the first time, I knew [Alonso was out]. I was 100 percent confident in myself [that I wasn't blocking the plate]. I gave him a lane, then they [had] the review exactly how I thought. That's how it ended up."

The MLB Replay Center agreed with how Amaya played his position. And that meant Imanaga was able to get his fifth win of the season.

“He has been filthy since Day 1,” Amaya said. “He is executing everything, just trusting himself, just go out there, have fun, be him. As always, he has been doing it.”