That murmuring sound you heard came from Flushing, NY.
Collectively, 44,183 fans went…Gulp.
Clayton Kershaw was great in Game 4 of the NLDS. No doubt about it. He came out on three days rest and did what he had to do, sending his team back to LA for a decisive Game 5.
“He’s really good,” said Mets manager Terry Collins. “You know, we played a pretty good ballgame I thought. Steven (Matz) was outstanding. He had one bad inning. Probably if he’d want one pitch back it’s probably the hanging slider he threw Kershaw. He threw a fastball by him and hung a slider. That’s probably the pitch he’d like to get back. But other than that it’s a very, very good game, and you’re facing a pitcher, who when he’s right, they just don’t get a lot of hits and he was right.”
So faster than you can say “Panic City” the Mets are now look at a one game season on the road. And there’s really no one to blame here. Matz had one bad inning, highlighted by one bad pitch, while an offense that scored 13 runs yesterday was neutralized by a three-time Cy Young winner, who was on his game.
Not much you can do except tip your hat.
Even though it doesn’t feel this way now, the good news is the Mets are still alive and have a chance to open up the National League Championship Series on Saturday with just one win on Thursday.
More good news, the Mets big gun Jacob deGrom will be leading them to that promise land.
“Well, there’s a reason why we thought, hey, look, if we’re up 2-1 in Game 4 that we’re going to save him because he’s the guy we want on the mound,” Collins said. “I mean, we’ll have a whole host of guys in the bullpen behind him. But you know, he’s had regular rest, so that’s a good sign. That’s good for him. And you kind of feel real confident that he’s pitched well out there that he’s going to go out and do it again. And once again, this is a time when you need your guys to step up and you certainly think he’ll do that.”
It’s going to be all hands on deck. Noah Syndergaard, who will also be on full rest, will be available, while Bartolo Colon has proven to be a valuable bridge in the middle innings if something goes wrong.
So the pitching seems to be fine.
The question is if the Mets can hit Zack Greinke just enough to plate a few runs. They were very few chances tonight, so you wonder about Thursday.
However so will the Dodgers, who had fits with deGrom and Syndergaard in the first two games.
“We’re going back home, where we get a chance to play,” said a relieved Don Mattingly. “So that’s a feeling to be able to get out of here. I think coming into here you think about getting a split and being able to come in here and split and get back home and get the ball — we knew Clayton was going to pitch, so getting the ball back to Zack on our field and give us a chance. When we lose one of those games at home, it puts us in a bind. So when we’re able to split them, it gets back to a game that anything can happen honestly. You don’t know how the ball’s going to bounce. Something can go wrong early. You just don’t know. But we have an opportunity at least to extend.”
So it comes down to this – a one game season. The Mets and Dodgers both are fighting to move on to face the Cubs.
With everything that has happened in Flushing over the past nine years, you didn’t think it would be easy Met fans?
Did you?
Gulp!
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