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The New York Mets kept their playoff hopes alive with a 12-6 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, narrowing the deficit in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series to 3-2.
Pete Alonso set the tone early with a three-run homer in the first inning, helping the Mets build an impressive 8-1 lead after a five-run third inning. Now, the series shifts back to Los Angeles, where the Dodgers will get another chance to clinch a World Series berth on Sunday.
"We'll be ready, We love opportunities," Alonso said
Dodgers standout performance
For the Dodgers, Andy Pages had a standout performance with two home runs, including a three-run shot that narrowed the Mets’ lead to 10-5 in the fifth. Mookie Betts also contributed with a solo homer in the sixth, but New York managed to maintain their lead.
Starling Marte was a key player for the Mets, recording three doubles and driving in three runs on four hits. Francisco Lindor also shone, with three hits, including a triple, while Jesse Winker added a triple of his own. Overall, the Mets racked up 14 hits without striking out, a testament to their offensive execution.
"I think it's just an incredible effort from the whole group. I mean, it was just unbelievable execution," Alonso remarked.
World Series scenario
The winner of this series will face either the New York Yankees or Cleveland Guardians in the World Series. The Guardians aimed to even their own series, hosting game four later that night, after securing a thrilling comeback win on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Yankees are looking to return to the World Series for the first time since their 2009 championship.
The Mets, facing elimination, came out strong, quickly taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning thanks to Alonso's towering home run that scored both Lindor and Brandon Nimmo, who had reached base via a single and a walk.
The Dodgers managed to pull a run back in the second when Enrique Hernandez scored on a wild pitch from Mets pitcher David Peterson. However, the Mets answered back decisively in the third. Marte capitalized on walks to Alonso and Winker, hitting a double that brought both runners home. Flaherty retired two batters before the Mets unleashed three consecutive run-scoring hits: a single by Alvarez, a Lindor triple to right, and a Nimmo single, stretching the lead to 8-1.
Despite Peterson allowing a solo home run to Pages in the fourth and the Dodgers loading the bases, Mets reliever Reed Garrett struck out Freddy Freeman to quell the threat. New York added to their lead with two more runs in the fourth, and the Dodgers couldn't catch up.
"We showed up today. Obviously Pete setting the tone in the first inning was important. We just continued to add on. And we needed to continue to add on because we saw it. They're not going to shut down. They're going to continue to put pressure on you," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.
