The Mets End Their Storybook Season in LA

By tomorrow morning some of my faithful friends who weren’t as invested in the Mets will try to soften the blow with sentimental sound-bites reminiscent of hollow remarks I used to hear after crappy sets as a stand-up comic.

The disappointing part isn’t just that they lost, but how. Bases loaded – twice, 17 runners hung out to dry, and men standing on bags in all but one inning. Would the outcome have been different if the Mets could’ve carried Game 5’s momentum into Game 6 without a day off in between? Oy, why do I do this to myself?

Francisco Lindor’s four pitch leadoff walk to start the first and the subsequent wild throw that placed him on third felt like a good omen. Pete Alonso’s infield single that scored the first run seconded that emotion. Jesse Winker’s free pass with the hot hitting Starling Marte at the plate made me prematurely giddy until the 35-year-old flied out to end the inning.

Dodger manager Dave Roberts’ kitchen sink of bullpen pitchers got redemption this time against Mets ace Sean Manaea, who couldn’t duplicate the swing and miss good fortunes he reaped in the series tying Game 2.

LA shortstop Tommy Edman, the NLCS MVP to be named later, was the gnat NY could not swat away. Four runs in two at bats – ever since the start of this series, I’ve cursed him every time he’s come to the plate. And when Teoscar Hernandez came out of his 0-18 shell, I knew it was not going to be pretty for any Met on the mound.

With a 4-1 lead, Manaea was pulled for Phil Maton, who always looks like he’d rather be playing Fortnite than pitching in the Majors. The pouty righthander did what he’s infamous for – retiring the first two batters, before giving up a two-run homer, this time, to Will Smith.

Trailing by five in the fourth, Francisco Alvarez’s prolific of late bat sent a leadoff single to center off LA’s third reliever, Anthony Banda, who replaced Ben, “I’m Casparius! I’m Casparius!”  With two down, Ryan Brasier gave up a two-run shot to the Mets postseason darling, Mark Vientos, cutting the lead 6-3.

Edwin Diaz arrived earlier than usual in the bottom of the fourth, keeping LA quiet with vintage sliders and four-seam fastballs.

With Evan Phillips on the rubber, the Mets loaded them up once again in the sixth on an Alvarez single, and back-to-back walks to Vientos and Pete Alonso. While I’m thinking the Mets are due for a go-ahead grand slam – Jesse Winker’s bat answered back, “Not from me,” as his inning ending fly ball landed in the glove of Teoscar Hernandez in left.

Ryne Stanek, whose been a workhorse out of the Mets bullpen, failed to keep the Dodgers at bay, walking Smith, allowing Chris Taylor to sacrifice him to second, surrendering a 3-2 rbi single to Shohei Ohtani – after he had him 0-2.

In the top of the seventh, Tyrone Taylor and Jeff McNeil delivered one out singles off Daniel Hudson, and Alvarez got back a run on a sac fly to right. With the hope of a comeback lingering, Lindor left the second baseman holding the bag at first.

Kodai Senga returned from his poor Game 1 performance in the bottom frame, and after plunking leadoff hitter Max Muncy, he retired the next three batters, which made me wonder, maybe he should’ve been an option a few innings earlier.

Blake Treinen dashed any run scoring ideas the Mets may have had up their away jersey sleeves, striking out the side in the top of the eighth. When Senga came back for seconds in the bottom frame, he made it very clear why I shouldn’t be an MLB manager.  He gave up three runs on singles, a double, a fielder’s choice and sac fly.

In their final at bat, with two away, Taylor and McNeil delivered too little too late back-to-back singles, that a Jewish mother manager would remark, “Now you get hits?”- eking out a run, ending their miracle postseason season on Alvarez’s ground out to second.

You gotta give kudos to rookie skipper Carlos Mendoza who ran a steady, tight ship over rocky waters – always believing the Mets were the best team on the field even when they were two outs away from clearing out their lockers.

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