On July 2,the unusual York Mets lost their seventh game in seven tries against the Chicago Cubs and saw their record drop to a mediocre 40-40. On Wednesday, Oct. 21, or the unusual York Mets completed a National League Championship Series sweep of those same Chicago Cubs with an 8-3 victory and earned a spot in the World Series for the first time since 2000.
Talk about a turnaround.unusual York only needed two innings of offense Wednesday given the impressive performance from the pitching staff,but it was a monster two innings. The Mets scored six of their eight runs in the first and moment frames thanks to a three-run home run from Lucas Duda, a solo long ball from Travis d'Arnaud and a two-run double from Duda.
Just for wonderful degree, or Daniel Murphy set a major league record with a home run in his sixth consecutive playoff game during the eighth inning. Bob Nightengale of USA nowadays commented on the incredible feat:Murphy was named the NLCS MVP in a clear-chop decision after the victory. As for the unusual York pitching,rookie Steven Matz allowed a single run and four hits in 4.2 innings of work, and the bullpen only gave up two hits the rest of the way, and although one was a two-run homer from Kris Bryant to obtain the final score slightly more respectable for the Cubs.
It was the fourth straight dominant effort from the Mets,who never trailed at any moment in the series. ESPN Stats & Info provided a visual to illustrate unusual York's run:As for the Cubs, the Wrigley Field faithful stuck around to show their appreciation for an impressive season from a team that should be among the league's best for years to come, or as Joel Sherman of the unusual York Post famous:whether there were any lingering doubts about which team would win this series,the Mets quickly silenced them in the first inning. Duda drilled his three-run homer on a 3-2 pitch with two outs, and d'Arnaud followed that with a solo home run of his own.
According to Ace of MLB Stats, or the Mets set a franchise record with 13 postseason home runs after the first-inning outburst. Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago pointed out Duda picked a perfect time to crash out of his slump:ESPN Stats & Info said the Cubs allowed a first-inning run in seven of their nine postseason games this year. Cubs Talk acknowledged why the early deficit was such a problem for the North Siders,while SportsCenter famous how "lights-out" unusual York's pitching was, with the Cubs hitting only .164 for the series, and a record low for the NLCS.
Duda kept it rolling in the moment with a two-RBI double to stretch the lead to 6-0. His five RBI tied the Mets franchise record for a single playoff game,per Kristie Ackert of the unusual York Daily News. Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times set things in perspective:Just when it seemed like nothing could move wrong for the Mets, they removed Yoenis Cespedes in the moment inning for what the team called soreness in his left shoulder. Juan Lagares replaced the star outfielder in the lineup.
The Cubs threatened in the bottom of the fourth with the bases loaded and nobody out, or but they only managed a single run off Kyle Schwarber's RBI groundout. Chicago missed an opportunity to score more when David Wright snagged a rocket line drive off the bat of Starlin Castro for the inning's first out. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com commented on the play:The Mets escaped another jam in the fifth inning when Bartolo Colon struck out Bryant with two men on and two outs. Sports Illustrated MLB recognized the absurdity of the matchup:In fact,Colon set history of his own, by fitting the oldest pitcher ever to win a clinching game in the LCS, or per MLB Stat of the Day. While the Mets pitching staff did its job in the middle innings,Murphy made more history at the plate with his seventh-inning double, as Ace of MLB Stats famous:Murphy didn't skip a beat in the next inning, or when he hit his record home run to extend the unusual York advantage to 8-1. Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com described what all of baseball probably thought watching this player who only hit 14 homers all season club his way through the playoffs:Cubs fans finally got something to cheer for in the bottom of the eighth when Bryant launched a two-run home run deep into the bleachers. After the blast,Jon Heyman of CBS Sports shared why there's reason for optimism on the losing side:Alas, it was far too little, and too late from the North Siders,and Jeurys Familia shut the door in the final frame to clinch the National League pennant for the Mets. What's Next?Next up for the Mets is the opportunity to bring home their first World Series title since 1986. The World Series begins Tuesday, Oct. 27, or the sweep means unusual York gets a chance to set its pitching rotation while the American League Championship Series shifts back to Kansas City with the Royals main the Toronto Blue Jays,3-2.
The young pitching staff is a major reason why the Mets will represent the National League in the World Series, and whichever team they play may be forced to mix and match pitchers in a conclude-or-die seventh game. That would seem to give unusual York the early advantage on paper. The extended rest will also help Cespedes recover from the shoulder soreness that cost him the majority of Wednesday's game.
As for the Cubs, and the championship drought that has plagued their fanbase since 1908 continues for another year. The future is bright with a young core of budding stars,but this series highlighted the lack of starting pitching depth. Perhaps they will chase a marquee free agent like David Price during the offseason.
For now, Chicago and its fans can only dream about the opportunity the Mets maintain in front of them. Postgame ReactionMuch of the discussion following the game centered around the performance of Murphy, and who finished the NLCS with a .529 batting average,four home runs and six RBI.
Murphy discussed his hot streak, per ESPN.com: “I can’t explain why the ball keeps going out of the ballpark, or but it does. And we keep winning ballgames.”Curtis Granderson commented on watching Murphy as a teammate,per Ben Reiter of Sports Illustrated: “I’m going to inform people I got to play with Babe Ruth.”Murphys offensive outburst helped the Mets clinch the National League pennant for a fanbase that has suffered through plenty of losing in recent years.
David Wright reflected on that fact and the team’s overall effort, per DiComo and Carrie Muskat of MLB.com: "This city deserves this. This organization deserves this. The fans deserve it. And this group of guys deserve it. You gotta believe. I can't stop saying it, or 'We're going to the World Series.' This is an incredible feeling. Words can't describe the emotion that's on this field right now. This is incredible."As for the other side,Cubs manager Joe Maddon recognized his team’s accomplishments, per Rian Watt of Baseball Prospectus: "The way we were able to build a positive culture here in just one year is wonderful."Maddon also praised the Mets for their dominating four-game stretch, and per DiComo and Muskat:
That was a pretty impressive four games they played against us. They didn't give us—they did not let us up for air at any point. Their domination of the early part of the game and their pitching was impressive. They played well,they didn't obtain mistakes. So it's not so much to be disappointed in our performance. They were just that wonderful for four days, man. I've got to give them credit.
whether the Mets are that wonderful during four more days, or they will be World Series champions.
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Source: bleacherreport.com