October 19th 2024.
It was a tense and crucial Game 5 for the New York Mets as they faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. After being blown out in three of the first four games, the wild-card Mets knew they had to give it their all to stay in the series. And that's exactly what they did.
Led by an early three-run homer from Pete Alonso, the Mets hammered Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty and secured a 12-6 victory. Shortstop Francisco Lindor summed up the team's mentality, saying, "We understood that this is a do-or-die game and we have to give everything we had, and that's what we did."
The Mets' offense was on fire, with Starling Marte hitting three doubles and driving in four runs, and Francisco Alvarez breaking out of a slump with three hits and an RBI. Even Jesse Winker and Lindor got in on the action, both hitting RBI triples. And the mood was set for the Mets when The Temptations performed Lindor's walk-up song, "My Girl," before the game.
Manager Carlos Mendoza was proud of the team's performance, saying, "We showed up today. We needed that. Obviously, Pete setting the tone in the first inning was important. We just continued to add on."
With their thrilling season on the line for the second time in the playoffs, the Mets once again turned to Alonso to deliver. His three-run homer in the first inning gave the team an early lead and set the tone for the rest of the game. Alonso, who is set to become a free agent this fall, also hit a dramatic go-ahead homer in the Wild Card Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Teammate Brandon Nimmo praised Alonso's abilities, saying, "For the rest of us mortals, we fly out. But for him, it's just an absolute bomb. Just normal Pete." Alonso also showed his patience at the plate, drawing a leadoff walk in the third inning, which sparked a five-run rally for the Mets.
The sellout crowd at Citi Field chanted Alonso's name when he came up to bat in the eighth inning, aware that it could possibly be his last home game with the Mets. But Alonso remained focused on the game, saying, "It's so special. It's like storybook-type stuff. When you grow up as a kid, you dream about that type of stuff."
Unfortunately, Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty was not at his best, allowing eight runs and eight hits in just three innings. Manager Dave Roberts revealed that Flaherty had been battling an illness, which may have affected his performance. But the Mets were also disciplined at the plate, not chasing after Flaherty's secondary pitches and capitalizing on his mistakes.
The Mets now have a tough task ahead of them as they head to Los Angeles for Game 6. But they are not giving up hope, with Nimmo saying, "It's definitely possible and I think if any team can do it, we can. We've played with our backs against the wall the whole year and we've been able to rise to the occasion."
The Mets will have Sean Manaea on the mound for Game 6, while the Dodgers will rely on another bullpen game due to injuries in their rotation. But the Mets are determined to keep fighting and prove that they can overcome adversity. As closer Edwin Díaz said, "We come from a lot of adversity. We can beat them."
The Mets' victory in Game 5 was a team effort, with contributions from both their offense and pitching. The bullpen was especially impressive, with Ryne Stanek and Díaz shutting down the Dodgers' late rally and securing the win for the Mets.
In the end, it was a special and emotional win for the Mets, who are not ready to end their season just yet. As Nimmo said, "If anybody can do it, we can do it."
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