Mets 2, Dodgers 1: Bats go missing after long weather delay, ending 6-game streak

Following an almost four-hour delay, the last game of the series got underway.

Today’s game has been moved to 5:10 p.m. due to weather. Gates will open at 3:10 p.m. and parking lots will open at 2:10 p.m.

All tickets for the originally scheduled 1:40 p.m. start will be good for the 5:10 p.m. game this evening.

— New York Mets (@Mets) July 16, 2023

Tonight’s game is now scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.

— New York Mets (@Mets) July 16, 2023

Unfortunately, the Mets ended up avoiding the sweep with a 2-1 win in extras to stop the six-game winning streak of the Dodgers.

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Today certainly featured a contrasting matchup of starters, though their results were somewhat similar.

Well. pic.twitter.com/vpLvDkQpOM

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023

Dodgers rookie Bobby Miller started the game off by giving up a two-out hits in the 1st (double) and 2nd (single), but he rebounded with clean frames in the 3rd and 4th (thanks to help from James Outman).

James Outman takes a double away from Brandon Nimmo at the wall. pic.twitter.com/thZ6wesZSA

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023

Not sure if this adjustment actually helped him or not, but he did get hit a lot less hard.

Interesting adjustment. pic.twitter.com/55HuxVHl1x

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023

The 5th proved to be troublesome in a hurry, as he struggled with runners on again. A single slapped the other way was followed with a steal on a strikeout, and Miller then hit a batter and issued a walk to the bottom of the order. He seemingly got the double play ball he wanted on a comebacker, but clanged it and only got the out at first to give the Mets a 1-0 lead.

Surprisingly, that was the end of the road for Miller, which I didn’t like both for pen use reasons and because he needs to learn to work out of that sooner or later: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 77 Pitches.

Fortunately, Brusdar Graterol got out of the jam on just one pitch and moved the game along. That was it for him, as Ryan Brasier got the 6th on 12 pitches, including a strikeout. His surprising renaissance continues with the Dodgers.

I've honestly tried to avoid talking about it out of fear this fever dream will end. https://t.co/0VLv5e7a7V

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023

The game was then turned over to Phil Bickford, who got the first two outs but then gave up a single and a steal. The lead looked to be increased on a blooper behind short, but Miguel Rojas‘ defense rushed to the rescue.

Miguel Rojas saves a run on a nice play on a blooper. pic.twitter.com/QSqDZ5Ah1f

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023

Of course, the story was Max Scherzer, who has struggled this year but found it against the Dodgers. There wasn’t a whole lot going on, as the only hit he gave up was a Jason Heyward squibber against the shift in the 2nd, and he got thrown out going for a double (Heyward later left the game with neck soreness).

He did issue three walks, including two to start the 4th, but those next three outs were the only at-bats with RISP he faced in the game.

Dominance through seven shutout frames against a hot offense.

Eventually the Mets pen entered in the 8th, and the Dodgers rallied against Trevor Gott. Outman started things by working a nice walk after going down 1-2 in the count, and Rojas followed by blooping a single to right. Will Smith then pinch-hit for Austin Barnes and flew out to deep right to corner the runners, which left things to Mookie Betts, who of course came through with a single to tie the game at 1-1.

Mookie Betts comes through again, ties the game up with a single in the 8th. pic.twitter.com/Ap82N2x4tx

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 16, 2023

That led to Brooks Raley coming in, and he did get the job done, inducing a grounder from Freddie Freeman and a pop foul from Max Muncy that Brett Baty actually caught to end the threat.

Speaking of getting the job done, the Dodgers turned to the suddenly hot Alex Vesia in the 8th, and he got three outs on four pitches, with all of them going to Mookie at second base.

Trying to give his team a chance to walk it off, David Robertson gave up a double in the 9th but nothing else, and then stranded the Manfred Runner in the 10th with a pair of fly balls and a grounder hit to a drawn-in shortstop.

The game got to the 10th because Evan Phillips prevented a walk-off in the 9th, giving up just a single and a steal in a scoreless frame. Once it got to the 10th, Nick Robertson had a tough task after the bats failed, but didn’t even make it exciting as Luis Guillorme failed at bunting twice and then rolled a double down the line for a 2-1 walk-off win.

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NL WEST	RECORD
Dodgers	53-39
Giants	52-41 (1.5 GB)
Diamondbacks	52-42 (2 GB)

*Either still playing or will play later.

The Dodgers will now continue their East Coast swing in Baltimore with a three-game set against the Orioles starting at 1:05 PM HT/4:05 PM PT/7:05 PM ET. It seems like the matchup will be rookie Emmet Sheehan (20.2 IP/10 ER) against rookie Grayson Rodriguez (7.35 ERA/6.01 xERA/4.59 DRA).