Game 3 of the NLDS between the Dodgers and Mets posed some intriguing pitching questions. Could the Dodgers get a good start from someone besides Clayton Kershaw or Zack Greinke, with Brett Anderson getting the nod? And for the Mets, how would Matt Harvey pitch in his first postseason start when his ability to pitch in October had been a source of controversy for weeks.
Initially, the uncertainty over Harvey looked justified. The Dodgers took a 3-0 lead in the second inning on four consecutive singles and a throwing error by Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson. Even with Anderson pitching, that was a pretty solid lead to work with.
But the Mets roared back in the home half of the second, opening the inning with four straight singles of their own that scored a run. Then with the bases loaded, Granderson made up for his error with a double that drove in three additional runs and gave the Mets a lead that they didn’t relinquish for the rest of the game.
A two-run homer in the third inning extended the Mets’ lead to 6-3, but the lineup blew the game open in the fourth. Following a Juan Lagares double, David Wright was intentionally walked by Alex Wood so the left-hander could pitch to lefty-batting Daniel Murphy. But Murphy laced an opposite field single to score Lagares. The next batter was Yoenis Cespedes, who hit a bazooka shot into the left field second deck for a three-run homer and 10-3 lead.
Yoenis Cespedes’ 4th inning home run was calculated at 440 feet, his longest home run in 2015. pic.twitter.com/QxxZzm3rYG
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 13, 2015
The game wasn’t much of a contest after that, though the Dodgers did chip away at the Mets’ big lead a bit. Adrian Gonzalez hit a home run in the seventh to make it a 10-4 game, but the Mets followed up with three runs, two of them driven in by another double from Granderson.
The Dodgers did make things slightly interesting in the ninth. Not by putting Chase Utley in the game to face a Citi Field crowd that booed him mercilessly, but by getting two singles against Erik Goeddel to begin the inning. Howie Kendrick then hit a deep drive to left field that appeared to be a home run, but may have been helped by a fan reaching over the fence. Though replay seemed to show that the ball fell below the fence and was interfered with, umpires ruled that it was a three-run homer and the score was 13-7.
That compelled Mets manager Terry Collins to bring in closer Jeurys Familia, something that surely seemed unlikely with a nine-run lead. Familia only threw 11 pitches in finishing the ninth inning, however, so he should be available to close Game 4, if necessary.
The Dodgers announced before the game that Kershaw would start Game 4 on three days rest, regardless of the outcome. That may have been a questionable choice had Anderson pitched well and the Dodgers won the game. But facing elimination on Tuesday, that choice now looks crucial.
Kershaw did the same last year in Game 4 of the NLDS versus the Cardinals and lost. Yet that decision may have turned out all right if the Dodgers had a dependable reliever to bring on in the seventh. With a deeper bullpen now, perhaps pitching Kershaw on short rest will turn out better for the Dodgers this time around.
Steven Matz will start for the Mets, demonstrating their deeper starting rotation. And if the series does go to a Game 5, Jacob deGrom gets the call with Noah Syndergaard surely ready to pitch long relief, if needed.
First pitch for Tuesday’s NLDS Game 4 is set for 8:07 p.m. ET with the telecast on TBS.
