Los Angeles, CA: Mets starter Trevor Williams 1-3, 3.58 got off to a rough first inning as he gave up a one out double to Freddie Freeman followed by a first pitch homer to Trea Turner. While Dodger’s starter Julio Urías Culiacan Rosales, Sinaloa, Mexico, 3-5 2.83, was met with a 0-1 count lead-off home run by Starling Marte in the third inning.
After that the game turned into a real pitcher’s duel as they each matched one another in fastballs and pitch count with Williams at 86 and Urías at 82 after 5 innings. Urías held the edge in breaking balls. He mixes up his pitches both in the types of pitches he throws and has the ability to change speeds on all of his pitches. I can’t tell you how hard that is to do. He is amazing to watch. He was removed by manager Dave Roberts after 5.1 innings with a line of, 3 hits, 1run, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts, 1 HR, 90 pitches 58 for strikes. Williams finished with a line of 5 inn, 6 hits, 2 runs, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts and 1 HR. He threw 86 pitches 57 for strikes.
With 2 out in the top of inning 7 the number 2 Dodger reliever LHP Caleb Ferguson hit Brandon Nimmo on the hand with a 96 mph heater. Nimmo was down for a long time and eventually took his base. But here we go with that, “Who is going to blow this game” thinking. Ferguson was immediately removed.
He was replaced by Brusdar Graterol, Calobozo, Venezuela, who gave up back to back doubles to Francisco Lindor, Caguas, Puerto Rico, and Pete Alonso to tie the game at 2. Graterol then hit Mark Canha with a 100 mph heater in the back putting runners on first and third with only one out. Next was a sacrifice fly by Eduardo Escobar, La Pica, Maracay, Venezuela to put the Mets up by one run. See you later Graterol. In comes Alex Vesia to pitch who promptly serves up a 94 mph meatball that the Mets have been feasting on all year as another run is singled in
It was interesting to see Mets closer Edwin Díaz, Naguabo, Puerto Rico, brought into start inning 8. He promptly threw a 100 mph heater under the chin to lead-off hitter Mookie Betts and the same to Trea Turner two batters later. Showalter did mention recently that he would be using Díaz in the eighth soon and here we see it for the first time this year.
It turns out that bringing Díaz in to face Betts, Freeman and Turner was where the Mets needed their closer to well, close out the game. Smart move by Buck? Well when Will Smith lead off against new pitcher Seth Lugo with a home run it started to look like Buck would be second guessed by Mets fans as the next three in the Dodger’s order, who can all put the ball out of the park, Justin Taylor, Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor were due up with none out. Lugo got the first of those two but gave up a 3-2 pitch to Taylor for a double who then scored on a first pitch single by Eddy Alvarez that tied the game. And so it was off to extra innings.
The Dodgers used their closer, Craig Kimbrel to pitch inning 9 and kept him to start inning 10 where he was greeted with a J.D. Davis double to drive in the make-believe runner, Alonso, from second base with the go-ahead run.
Adonis Medina, Santo Domingo Centro, Dominican Republic, became the Mets fifth relief pitcher today and though the Dodgers made it interesting this 25 year old kid showed he has the guts as he came up big by striking out Will Smith to end the game.
So hold on to your hats fans of these two teams, when they meet in the NLCS in October, it is going to be a classic.
