Mets’ clinching 3-2 win puts them in NLCS vs. Cubs

Daniel Murphy carried the Mets to the NLCS nearly single-handedly with his Game 5 performance. After Duda took ball four, Murphy strolled over to second base before taking the turn and sprinting to third. “We’ve done it all year long”.

Greinke (1-1) gave up three runs and six hits in 62/3 innings. Shortstop Corey Seager, the closest infielder, was nearly all the way toward second.

With one out in the sixth, on a 3-2 pitch, Murphy launched a Greinke fastball into the right-field seats for a home run, giving New York the 3-2 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Murphy had a hit in each of the five division series games, including a 3-for-4 effort in the clincher, and he finished the series 7 for 21 with a double, three homers and five RBIs. The heads-up base-running paid off, as he’d score on a Travis d’Arnaud sacrifice fly to tie the game at two.

“Something doesn’t go right and we bounce back”, New York manager Terry Collins said. He was named an All-Star in each of the last two seasons. Nothing I can think of.

Daniel Murphy had already victimized Clayton Kershaw twice in this series.

Third baseman Justin Turner told reporters he would play for Mattingly “any day of the week”, adding: “Anything he wanted me to do, anything he asked of me, I’m right there, I’m behind him 100 percent”.

After Syndergaard pitched a shutout seventh, closer Jeurys Familia would pitch two flawless innings to close out the Dodgers. Murphy had put the Mets on his back for the entire series, and Game 5 was no different.

After Familia struck out Howie Kendrick to end the game, the Mets swarmed the mound, jumping up and down in unison.

“It was just an incredible job by this team”, Wright said. “It felt like everybody got a piece of this one“.

But a couple of gutsy decisions involving his pitching staff worked out far better it appeared they would. He stranded a runner in scoring position in each of the first five innings.

In the spirit of freshness, here are the players who appeared in no Cubs-Mets games this year who stand to make the biggest impact in the NLCS. The Mets boast the 1-2 pitching duo of right-handers Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey.

Murphy led off the fourth with a single, Lucas Duda walked one out later and Murphy advanced to third, which was uncovered because of a defensive shift.

“You see the TV, I enjoy TV but you gotta be there to really enjoy it”, said Russo.

The 31-year-old pitcher was so dominant this year that he’s likely to be first or second in the Cy Young race, competing with Chicago Cubs ace Jake Arrieta. “We just need to keep working at it”.

Los Angeles hasn’t reached the World Series since 1988. After Turner doubled leading off the third, Ethier popped out to left.

Ethier returned to the dugout and began yelling at Mattingly while simultaneously walking away from him.

The Toronto Blue Jays have clinched their first trip to the American League Championship Series since 1993, overcoming one of the most weird plays in playoff history by taking advantage of three Texas Rangers…

Anyway, by now you know that the Mets beat the Dodgers in Los Angeles by a score of 3-2.