Kershaw outdueled by deGrom in Dodgers’ 3-1 loss in NLDS

Their presence alone appeared to give Los Angeles the edge in its matchup with the Mets. If they can’t, the Mets could end this series very quickly.

DeGrom and Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw, who struck out 11, became the first two opposing pitchers to strike out at least 10 hitters each in a playoff game. The 13 strikeouts tied Tom Seaver’s franchise record for most punchouts in a single postseason game.

Of course, there’s another story altogether about the ace of a staff not pitching until the third game of a best-of-five series, but we’ll leave that as a logical concession to putting the player’s health ahead of the team’s ultimate goal. “And he matched him pitch for pitch”. It’s also the first time a pitcher has struck out 13 batters and surrendered zero runs in his postseason debut since Tim Lincecum in 2010.

Murphy had one homer per 126 at-bats against left-handed pitching during the regular season. Justin Turner and Corey Seager both hit two-baggers for the Boys in Blue, but were left stranded after DeGrom got out of each jam with strikeouts.

The trend continued Friday, in an even bigger situation. “He had command of all four of his pitches and he was just being himself out there, having fun”. The Dodgers, meanwhile, won the NL Central for the third straight season and will look to advance to the NLCS for the second time in the past three years.

Goal accomplished, for deGrom and for the Mets. Who does deGrom share that record with?

“You try not to get caught up in it”, deGrom said afterward.

“It’s no reflection on him”, Evans said of the Giants’ decision to play younger guys. Again, kind of getting back through [him] a fourth time.

You know what they say about the best-laid plans.

Kershaw was fairly brilliant, but deGrom brilliant-er.

Mattingly’s rationale was to make sure Kershaw didn’t have to face Wright for the fourth time when it mattered. It will be deGrom’s postseason debut while Kershaw hopes to erase memories of his last four playoff starts, during which he is 0-4 with a 7.15 ERA (all against the St. Louis Cardinals). Carpenter tagged him for a bases-clearing double, Baez came in a batter too late, and Kershaw lost.

It paid dividends later. He walked three batters, loading the bases with two outs and Wright due up.

Three of those walks came in the seventh, before Mets captain David Wright had a two-out, two-run single off Pedro Baez that put New York up 3-0.

“That’s just who he is”. “I’ve felt that way the last couple years, and I think that’s how people in the clubhouse feel”, Greinke said.

In case you didn’t get the obvious sarcasm, the off-day, mandatory team workout was viewed by the team as important, and did cause a few agida among Mets brass.

From there, deGrom and two relievers took care of the rest.

Mets closer Jeurys Familia worked a flawless 1 1/3 innings for the save.

It won’t get any easier from here. The Mets were second in the NL with a WHIP of 1.179.

“Syndergaard’s a little different than deGrom. He outpitched me plain and simple”. “I just haven’t done it good in my career”, Greinke said Friday.