When the NLCS began, the Mets had an obvious edge over the Los Angeles Dodgers when it came to starting pitching. The Dodgers have 10 pitchers on the injured list, including three starting pitchers, while the Mets have a deep rotation full of starters who have been pitching deep into games.
But some bad habits came back to haunt the Mets in Game 3 on Wednesday night at Citi Field. There were missed opportunities at the plate and some hard-hit balls that died on the warning track, but coupled with a shaky start from Luis Severino and a bullpen blowup the Mets were doomed in a 7-0 loss.
Of course, it didn’t help that the bats failed to give the pitching staff any help. The lineup created plenty of traffic on the bases but never got the hit they needed, leaving eight runners on base and going 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. The Dodgers shut out the Mets for the second time in three games to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
The big hitters did little, with Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and J.D. Martinez combining to go 0-for-10.
But Reed Garrett gave up a two-run homer in the top of the sixth to double the Los Angeles lead (4-0), and Tylor Megill gave up two homers in three innings of relief. Working out of the bullpen for the second time this month, Megill allowed four earned runs on five hits, walked three and struck out only two in mop-up duty.
After cleaning up the walks over the last few months, they came back to haunt the Mets once again when they walked seven hitters.
Severino and Los Angeles right-hander Walker Buehler engaged in an ugly pitcher’s duel of sorts. They both walked hitters early and got into trouble with their pitch counts, leading to short outings. Buehler went only four innings and Severino went 4 2/3.
Both were mostly able to get out of trouble when needed, but a costly error by catcher Francisco Alvarez resulted in two runs being scored by the Dodgers in the second.
It was a particularly ugly game for Alvarez, who went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts, but his decision to throw to second base to get the lead runner in the second inning was an especially poor one.
Severino walked Max Muncy to lead off the inning and Teoscar Hernandez chopped one right in front of the plate. Alvarez threw to second instead of first and the throw was off target. Jose Iglesias leaned forward to try to make the catch but was unable to as Muncy came sliding in.
With two on and none out, Gavin Lux moved the runners over on a ground ball right back to Severino. Will Smith hit one to Severino as well, but the ball hit off of his glove and Muncy came home easily.
Tommy Edman then hit a fly ball that carried to the warning track in right center field. Tyrone Taylor and Starling Marte both converged, with Taylor somehow making a leaping catch and maintaining control of the ball in his glove even as Marte collided with him. Still, it was deep enough to score Hernandez.
The Mets loaded the bases on Buehler in the bottom of the inning but came up empty. Severino got out of a bases-loaded jam in the third, but still the Mets couldn’t give him any runs. The two runs allowed were unearned, but Severino still took the loss.
It was over once Megill served up the home run to Ohtani. It was a moonshot that went to the second deck in right field and put the Dodgers up 6-0. Muncy homered off of him to lead off the ninth.