Mets beat Dodgers, advance to NLCS
The New York Mets went into Dodger Stadium and took down the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Division Series, winning 3-2. New York had not been to the playoffs since 2006, but was able to topple the No. 2 seed in the NL and will now face the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS.
New York was led by starting pitcher Jacob deGrom, who pitched six solid innings. deGrom did not have his best stuff but was able to gut out the frames by allowing only six hits, two runs and three walks while striking out seven. The losing pitcher was Zack Greinke, who could win the NL Cy Young Award. Greinke permitted six hits and three earned runs in 6.1 innings, walking one and striking out nine.
The Mets got on the board in the top half of the first inning. Curtis Granderson led off with a single and was knocked in on an RBI triple by Daniel Murphy. However, the Dodgers would answer in the bottom half of the frame with four consecutive hits, including RBI singles by Justin Turner and Andre Ethier. Turner finished the game with three hits, but it would not be enough.
New York rallied to tie the contest in the fourth inning. Murphy was able to reach on a single to right field. Lucas Duda then walked, and with the shift on, Murphy went from first to third base due to nobody covering the bag. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud sent Murphy home on a sacrifice fly, evening the score at 2-2.
In the sixth, it was Murphy once more in the spotlight. The second baseman hit his third home run of the series, sending a blast into right field off Greinke to give New York a 3-2 lead. It was an advantage the Mets would not relinquish.
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New York was able to hold on with an inning of relief from starter Noah Syndergaard and two innings from closer Jeurys Familia. It is the first time the Mets have been in the NLCS since 2006, when they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. New York was last in the World Series in 2000, and has not won a championship since 1986.