Mets Knock Out Dodgers In 3-2 Win In Game 5 Of NLDS

Thursday night saw the Dodgers fall 3-2 to the New York Mets at their very own stadium in Los Angeles, officially leading them to their elimination from the NLDS playoffs. The game began with the Dodgers leading 2-1 in the first inning. Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom, who had allowed numerous strikes in Game 1, evidently did not play nearly as strong a game this time around.

Mets Manager Terry Collins clearly seems to have gambled a lot with his decision to leave deGrom in both as a way to finally exit that potentially season-ending jam, but for the next four full innings as well. The team also had rookie pitcher Noah Syndergaard completely rested and sitting in the bullpen.

Zack Greinke helped the Dodgers lead up until the top of the fourth inning. The Mets then tied the game with a run from Danny Murphy, who singled, then moved to second on a Lucas Duda walk, ran to third base after realizing the Dodgers infielders abandoned it, and finally ran home. Murphy had a fantastic night: the free-agent-to-be also scored New York’s first run with a gapper to left field, and then homered off Greinke in the sixth inning, thus closing out both the game and the series 3-2. DeGrom threw his first 1-2-3 inning shortly afterwards.

The Mets will now move on to play in the NLCS, their first time since 2006, and will have to find a strategy to defeat the Cubs. Zack Greinke is now 1-1 in this postseason, while Jacob deGrom is 2-0.

Photo: LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 15: Jeurys Familia #27 of the New York Mets celebrates after the Mets 3-2 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game five of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 15, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)