NEW YORK — The glass slipper doesn’t fit.
The story book ending will be missing a final chapter.
The New York Mets’ dream season isn’t officially over, but, oh, does it ever feel like it.
The Los Angeles Dodgers once again snuffed out the Mets, winning 10-2 on Thursday night to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series.
The Dodgers are just one victory away from reaching the World Series, awaiting the winner of the New York Yankees-Cleveland Guardians ALCS.
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The Mets, who went 67-40 down the stretch to squeak into the playoffs, need a miracle more than ever.
“We've shown the whole year, this is a group that is resilient,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “They have that grit. They fight and they're not going to give up. They're going to continue to play.’’
Yet, they’ve shown no signs they’ve got a chance to still make this a compelling series.
Simply, the Dodgers are too powerful, too patient and too talented for the Mets.
If it’s not Shohei Ohtani hitting a homer to lead off the game, ending his zero-for-22 skid with the bases empty, it’s Mookie Betts going 4-for-6 with a homer and four RBI.
If it’s not the two MVPs, it’s Max Muncy getting on base 12 consecutive times, setting a postseason record.
If it’s not the offense drawing 31 walks – the most in the first four games of a series in postseason history – it’s the pitching staff putting up zeroes.
“That’s what makes them such a good team offensively,” Mendoza said. “They control the strike zone.”
Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out eight batters in just 4 ⅓ innings, left the game with a 5-2 lead, and once again the bullpen absolutely dominated.
The Dodgers are now 7-1 against the Mets since May, outscoring them 58-12. If it’s any consolation prize for the Mets, at least they didn’t get shut out for the third time this series.
The Mets were supposed to have the momentum, the mojo, and an advantage in starting pitching – remember?.
Instead, the Dodgers have battered the Mets’ rotation.
Only one Mets starter has lasted beyond five innings.
Veteran Jose Quintana was the victim this time, going just 3 ⅔ innings.
Quintana had been one of the National League’s finest pitchers the last two months. He yielded a sizzling 0.57 ERA in his last eight starts. He gave up just three runs in 47 ⅓ innings in six regular season starts and two postseason starts since Aug. 20.
Thursday night?
The Dodgers scored five runs off him, jumping out to a 5-2 lead with Betts’ two-run double in the fourth inning.
It was that kind of night for the Mets.
Really, it has become that kind of series.
“It's a challenge,’’ Mendoza said, “that’s a good team right there. That's a really good team."
A team that is proving its superiority in this NLCS.
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Tommy Edman's two-run double against Danny Young in the eighth inning made it 9-2. Three batters later, catcher Will Smith hit an RBI single to bring Edman home and stretch the Dodgers' lead to 10-2.
After the Dodgers took five-run lead in the top of the sixth, Evan Phillips gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the frame. With the tying run in the on-deck circle, the right-hander proceeded to strike out Jose Iglesias and get Jeff McNeil to fly out for the first two outs. Blake Treinen relieved Phillips and got pinch-hitter Jesse Winker to fly out to right, ending the Mets’ threat.
New York is 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position in Game 4.
With the Dodgers leading 5-2 in the top of the sixth, Mookie Betts hit a two-run homer off Phil Maton to further extend the Los Angeles lead, probably putting the game out of reach for the Mets.
Betts is now 3-for-4 with 4 RBI in Game 4 and is a triple away from the cycle.
In the top of the fourth, Jose Butto replaced starter Jose Quintana with runners on first and second and one out – and was promptly greeted by Mookie Betts' two-run double into left.
With the bases loaded and one out, Brandon Nimmo hit what looked to be double-play ball to second base, but the hobbled Mets outfielder beat the throw to first (after review), bringing home the team's second run against Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
With the tying run on third, Yamamoto got Starling Marte to hit a sharp ground ball into the hole at short, picked nicely by Tommy Edman, who threw to second for the force to end the frame.
With two outs and runners on first and second, Dodgers shortstop Tommy Edman delivered an RBI double off Jose Quintana to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning. Enrique Hernandez followed with an RBI single to extend LA's advantage to 3-1.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with the chance to braek the game open, but Quintana got Will Smith to pop out and end the inning.
After Shohei Ohtani led off Game 4 with a homer, Mets third baseman Mark Vientos responded with a solo home run of his own in the bottom of the first.
It was the rookie's fourth homer of the 2024 playoffs and his 12 RBI tie the franchise record for most in a single postseason.
After breaking out of a slump with a homer in Game 3, Shohei Ohtani led off Game 4 with a solo home run off Mets starter Jose Quintana.
Quintana entered Thursday's game having pitched 11 scoreless innings so far this postseason.
First pitch in Game 4 is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET on Thursday
"He's obviously ailing and he's doing everything he can to stay on the field," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before Game 4. "With the back-to-back games and one tomorrow, just trying to feel kind of make a decision what puts him in the best position for the games going forward.
"And just tonight seemed easy. Obviously he wants to be in there. But having him not make the start, run out there on and off the field, be ready for a big spot tonight, made a lot of sense."
NEW YORK − Hey, wasn’t the Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitching staff supposed to be a complete mess in the postseason?
Weren’t the Dodgers headed for another playoff exit because they had only three healthy starters? They had better pitchers on their injured list than on the active roster, right?
Well, who’s laughing now?
The Dodgers delivered their fourth shutout in the past five postseason games Wednesday night with a 8-0 rout over the New York Mets at Citi Field, taking a 2-1 lead in this National League Championship Series.
“I don’t think we took it personally," said Dodgers reliever Michael Kopech, the winning pitcher, “but you know, we kind of did.
“Pretty cool to see what we’re doing.’’
Historic, too.
The Dodgers are the eighth team in postseason history to produce four shutouts, just one shy of Cleveland’s five shutouts in 2016.
“It’s really satisfying,’’ Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen said, “but it’s no crazy formula. Our defense has been playing great behind us. The offense makes it a lot easier for us because they get the early lead.
“Really, we just don’t let it get bigger than it is. We’re not afraid to make big pitches in big spots."
– Bob Nightengale
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