Remebering Mets History (2015): NLDS Game #5 Mets Advance to NLCS

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October 15th 2015: Dodger Stadium- Los Angeles, California



A sell out of 54,602 came to Southern California for a classic. The series was tied at 2-2 as the Dodgers surprised the Mets with a 3-1 win in Game #4 at Citi Field on Tuesday, a game centerfieldmaz was at.

In the decisive Game #5 the Mets manager; Terry Collins sent Jacob deGrom (the Game #1 winner) to the mound to face Zack Greinke (the Game #2 winner).

In the top of the 1st inning, Curtis Granderson reached on a challenged overturned call where he beat out a ground ball to Justin Turner. Daniel Murphy the offensive star of the game, then doubled to left field bringing in Grandy with the games 1st run.
In the bottom of the 1st the Dodgers answered right back, singles by Cory Seager, Adrian Gonzalez, Justin Turner & Andre Either made it 2-1 L.A. From there Jacob deGrom struck out Yasmani Grandal & Enrique Hernandez.

This would be what geGrom had to do all night, work his way out of trouble. 57 of his 107 pitches were made with runners in scoring position.

deGrom fought with two men on in the 2nd & 3rd innings but got out of trouble both times. In the third he got Hernandez to ground to the mound & the pitcher turned a double play 1-5-3. After giving up a lead off walk in the 4th, deGrom retired the next three batters ending the inning striking out Seager. 

In the top of the 4th, Daniel Murphy singled to lead off the inning. As Lucas Duda drew a one out walk, Murph made one of the biggest plays of the series.

It came on the base paths, as the shift was all on the right side of the infield for Duda, no one was covering third base.

As Duda walked Murph took second & dashed over to third safely.  Its what Met broadcaster Howie Rose called "probably the most famous stolen base in Mets history."

Quotes- Daniel Murphy: "Just trying to casually walk to second and hoping that nobody called time because, I look like an idiot if somebody calls time and I run to third. I'm not sure who was supposed to cover, but there was nobody there. I'm not the fleetest of foot, but just fast enough for that one."

It was a huge Dodger blunder, coming at a very big moment the decisive NLDS Game #5. The next batter Travis d'Arnaud, hit a fly ball to right field, Murph safely scampered home with the tying run, 2-2 ball game.

In the 5th Justin Turner doubled for the second time, but was stranded on second after Either popped out & deGrom struck out Yasmani Grandal to end the inning.

In the 6th, Murphy came through once again, hitting a solo HR, his third HR of the series, his second off of Greinke. This was to be the game winner, as the Mets went on to the 3-2 win.


Quotes: "We went back and forth the whole at-bat. He has just a good changeup he locates so well. I got 3-2 right there and I finally got a heater in the zone I was looking in all night. Middle-in, I was able to keep it fair." "What a team win, It felt like everybody got a piece of this one."

Murph would have three of the Mets seven hits on the night, driving in two runs & scoring two runs as well.

In the 7th, an inning which has been a problem for the Mets, Terry Collins brought in Noah Syndrgaard, despite saying before the game he would not use him.

Noah got Howie Kendrick to ground out, then walked Adrian Gonzales. He then reared back & struck out Adrian Gonzales & "Gingerman" Justin Turner. A simple spectacular performance.

Collins then called upon Jeurys Familia to do something he did not do all year & that was to get a six out save. In the 8th Either grounded out, Carl Crawford lined out & Jimmy Rollins easily grounded out to first, bye bye Jimmy!

In the 9th he actually got an at bat, and struck out with two on. But he was in there for the bottom of the 9th. He first sent pinch hitter Chase Utley to the showers as he lined out.

Next Familia took care of business striking out AJ Ellis & Howie Kendrick.

That was it, the Mets took the game 3-2 & took the series 3-2. They advance to the franchise's eighth NLCS in team history to face Chicago Cubs.

Quotes- Manager Terry Collins: "We have a tough game, something doesn't go right, we bounce back. We've done it all year long. We have tremendous heart. There is nothing else to say. We have some young guys and veteran guys. They meshed together. It's been a blast."






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