Mets 7, Dodgers 3 – 2024 NLCS Game 2: Mets shatter scoreless innings streak and bats can’t take advantage of chances

Chad Moriyama 10/14/2024 Game Recaps Leave A Comment

After cruising to an almost disturbingly easy Game 1 victory to start the NLCS, much like in the NLDS, it was back to reality in Game 2. The Mets jumped out to an early lead to break the Dodgers’ scoreless innings streak, then piled on, and the offense couldn’t be opportunistic in a 7-3 loss to tie the series at 1-1.

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As has been the usual for the Dodgers, their bullpen game started with Ryan Brasier, but things didn’t go to plan. Francisco Lindor got the game off to a different feel with a lead-off homer to right to give the Mets a 1-0 lead.

After a smoked lineout, a walk followed, and he fortunately got Pete Alonso to ground hard into a double play.

Unlike against the Padres, it wasn’t a true pen game, as Landon Knack took over in the 2nd. Maybe that was a mistake, as Starling Marte singled, Jesse Winker walked, and after a pop-out, Tyrone Taylor doubled to double the lead to 2-0.

Another pop-out put Knack on the verge of escape, but an intentional walk to Lindor backfired when Mark Vientos crushed a grand slam to make it 6-0.

Ugly early.

Knack found more trouble in the 3rd, giving up a lead-off single and then a single and walk with two outs to load the bases again. However, he did escape that jam to at least get through the inning.

Trying to keep hope alive, it was Anthony Banda in the 4th, who gave up just a single in his scoreless frame. Brent Honeywell Jr. was up next in the 5th, giving up a one-out walk and hitting a batter with two down but not giving up any runs. He continued in the 6th, seeing an error erased by a double play and facing the minimum in the frame.

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While the Dodgers have historically handled Sean Manaea well no matter how he’s been pitching, he changed arm slot in the second half and has basically been a poor man’s Chris Sale since, which made today a different animal than what they’ve faced in the past.

He proved that by striking out the first two batters he faced before issuing a walk and getting a flyout to end the 1st. The Dodgers tried to get something going in the 2nd with a one-out Tommy Edman single and a two-out Enrique Hernandez single, but Andy Pages struck out to end that half-chance.

After clean frames in the 3rd and 4th made it seven straight retired, Max Muncy got the Dodgers on the board in the 5th with a homer to make it 6-1. However, Manaea got right back to his dominance to retire the next three.

The 6th started promising as Manaea seemed to be losing control a bit, issuing back-to-back walks to Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez. Freddie Freeman then roped a ball at 100 mph back up the middle, but it hit the mound which slowed it down and gave Jose Iglesias a seemingly easy double play. However, Iglesias got caught between hops and it got between his legs to load the bases and end Manaea’s day in a hurry.

Phil Maton took over and got the struggling Will Smith to pop-up harmlessly. He then got ahead of Tommy Edman 0-2, but he then smack a single off Pete Alonso’s glove at first for a two-run single that maybe got an assist from Freddie Freeman to make it 6-3.

Maton then walked Max Muncy to reload the bases, but Enrique Hernandez’s magic finally ran out with a double play to end the inning. Just a brutal chance wasted.

Going back to the pen, they were now in higher leverage, but Dave Roberts stuck with Honeywell. He gave up a double in the 7th, but pitched around the trouble to give the Dodgers three valuable scoreless frames. In a weird move, Edgardo Henriquez entered in the 8th, but he gave up just a walk in that inning. He then continued in the 9th where things didn’t go as well, as a one-out walk to Alonso led to him walking to second has Henriquez forgot about him or something, and Starling Marte singled to make it 7-3 and give the Mets insurance.

Another single followed and the runners were cornered, but Henriquez continued to go, and he somehow got out of that without further mess.

Down four now.

Dave has been pretty perfect so far, but I don’t get any of this once it got to within striking distance.

Anyway, it was four cause the Dodgers couldn’t get more against the Mets pen. Maton continued in the 7th, getting an out but then unintentionally intentionally walking Shohei on four pitches. That brought in Ryne Stanek, who got the next two without trouble and then got two outs to start the 8th. However, he then gave up a single to Edman (third hit of the day) and then walked Max Muncy to bring the tying run to the plate.

Carlos Mendoza then turned to closer Edwin Diaz, who gave up a double steal to put a pair in scoring position, but got Enrique to fly out to end the threat. He came out in the 9th as well, giving up an Andy Pages single to start and then Ohtani walked. However, Mookie, Teoscar, and Freddie struck out to end it.

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Rally snake? Not quite.

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The NLCS is now tied 1-1.

After a day off tomorrow, the two teams will play at a more reasonable hour of 2:08 PM HT/5:08 PM PT/8:08 PM ET on FS1. It’ll be Walker Buehler getting the start for the Dodgers, likely against

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