NEW YORK — In a game filled with errors, the New York Mets found themselves in desperate need of another comeback after a challenging night. Pitcher Luis Severino mishandled ground balls on two separate occasions, which resulted in two unearned runs during the second inning. The Mets managed to load the bases with one out in their half of the inning, but Francisco Alvarez and Francisco Lindor both struck out against Walker Buehler, missing a golden opportunity to score.
Los Angeles showcased their offensive prowess while New York struggled, leading to an 8-0 defeat that placed the Dodgers ahead 2-1 in the National League Championship Series. “We lost 9-0 in the first game and then bounced back to win Game 2. There’s no reason we can’t do that again tomorrow,” Mets reliever Reed Garrett stated, after allowing a two-run homer by Kiké Hernández in the sixth, extending the Dodgers’ lead to 4-0.
In the second inning, Severino issued a walk to Max Muncy to start things off, marking one of seven walks from the Mets’ pitchers. Teoscar Hernández then tapped a ball in front of the plate, and Alfredo’s attempt to throw out Muncy at third failed, resulting in another error for New York. “I think I might have tried to do a little too much on that play,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza commented.
Gavin Lux hit a grounder to Severino, which should have easily turned into a double play; however, it deflected off Severino’s glove. Consequently, Severino’s only option was to throw to first for the out, allowing Muncy to score the first run. Will Smith then hit another one-hopper that deflected off Severino’s glove before trickling toward the shortstop, resulting in an infield hit. This allowed the second run to cross the plate after Tommy Edman’s sacrifice fly, putting the Dodgers up 2-0.
“I feel like my glove messed everything up in that inning there,” Severino acknowledged. “Those should have been routine plays.” The Mets responded by loading the bases with walks and a single from Jose Iglesias, but Alvarez, who has struggled with bases loaded situations throughout his career, struck out on a 2-2 pitch outside.
Next up was Lindor, known for his prowess with the bases loaded. He previously turned around a deficit in the Division Series with a grand slam but could not repeat that success, swinging through a full-count knuckle-curve from Buehler. “He does a fantastic job of tunneling,” Lindor explained. “It looks like a fastball coming at you and then drops at the last moment.”
Walker Buehler celebrated as he walked off the mound, clearly pleased with himself after a strong outing. Having made a comeback to major league play after Tommy John surgery, Buehler is a revamped version of the pitcher who was an All-Star in the past. “If it were a few years ago, I would have just thrown a fastball in that situation,” he noted.
The standout moment of the night came from Shohei Ohtani, who smashed a three-run home run in the eighth inning against Tylor Megill, sending the ball soaring beyond the right-field foul pole. This loss marked the Mets’ first deficit in the postseason this October, leading to a noticeably dwindled crowd at Citi Field as it neared the ninth inning.
Throughout the series, the Mets have failed to score in both of their losses, totaling only seven hits and striking out 20 times. Their batting average in the NLCS has plummeted to .179. Meanwhile, Severino, Lindor, and Pete Alonso have all struggled at the plate, each with poor statistics. Mets pitchers have also struggled with control, issuing 22 walks overall.
“They’re not going to chase as much, so we need to be aggressive and stay focused on executing our pitches,” Mendoza explained. “If we fall behind in the counts, they will take advantage.” Having experienced a rough start earlier in the season and recovering from a losing streak against the Dodgers, the Mets remain optimistic about making a comeback. “You have to let this one go quickly,” Lindor concluded.
