Mets Take Game 5
The Mets took the fifth game of the 2024 NLCS, 14-9, behind an outburst of 14 hits, tying their second-most in a Postseason game in franchise history. New York also had 14 hits in Game 4 of the 2006 NLCS; Game 3 of the 2006 NLDS; and Game 3 of the 1969 NLCS and tallied a franchise-record 15 hits in Game 6 of the 1999 NLCS and Game 2 of the 1973 World Series. New York’s 12 runs are also tied for its second-most in a Postseason game after the Mets scored 12 runs in Game 4 of the 2006 NLCS at St. Louis and set a franchise record with 13 runs in Game 3 of the 2015 NLDS, also against the Dodgers.
Since the LCS moved to its current seven-game format in 1985, the winner of the fifth game of the NLCS has advanced to the Fall Classic 24 times (63.2%). Per Elias, in best-of-seven series, the club with a 3-2 advantage after five games, goes on to win the series 68.0% of the time (17-8). In the LCS (AL or NL), a team up 3-2 in a seven-game series wins the series 70.2% of the time (33-14). In the 114 previous best-of-seven series that have sat at 3-2 after five games, the team leading 3-2 has won 79 times (69.3%). New York is attempting to become the ninth team LCS history (AL or NL) to come back from a 3-1 hole and they are 2-0 in elimination games this season after beating the Brewers in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series.
Polar Plunge
Pete Alonso gave the Mets an early 3-0 lead with a three-run blast in the first inning after Francisco Lindor knocked a leadoff single and Brandon Nimmo drew a walk. It was Alonso’s fourth homer of the Postseason, which are tied for the most on the Mets this Postseason with Mark Vientos. It was Alonso’s third career Postseason homer at Citi Field also after going deep in Game 3 of the NLDS this year against Philadelphia and in Game 2 of the 2022 Wild Card Series. Overall, his 106 career homers (regular and Postseason) at Citi Field are the most of any player since the park opened in 2009. Of Alonso’s five career Postseason homers, four have put the Mets into the lead including his blast to lead-off the fifth inning in Game 2 of the 2022 Wild Card Series against San Diego; his three-run go-ahead shot in the ninth inning of Game 3 at Milwaukee in the Wild Card Series; and his solo blast to lead off the second inning in Game 3 of the NLDS against Philadelphia.
RallyAnimals
The Mets rallied for five runs in the third inning as Starling Marte ignited the rally with a two-run double to extended the Mets’ lead to 5-1. Francisco Alvarez brought home Marte with an RBI single two batters later to give New York a five-run lead at 6-1. Francisco Lindor continued the two-out rally with an RBI triple and Brandon Nimmo finished off the five-run frame with an RBI single to score Lindor, leaving the score at 8-1.
It was the fourth time this Postseason that the Mets scored at least five runs in an inning, following a five-run fifth inning in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against Milwaukee; a five-run eighth inning in Game 1 of the NLDS at Philadelphia; and a five-run second inning in Game 2 of the NLCS against Los Angeles. Per Elias, the Mets are the fifth team (sixth occurrence) with at least four five-run innings in a single Postseason and the first since the Rangers had five five-run innings en route to their World Series Championship last October. Other clubs with at least four five-run frames in a single Postseason include the 2007 Red Sox (5x); the 2002 Angels (4x); the 1999 Red Sox (4x); and the 1979 Orioles (4x).
Each of the first five games in this series have been decided by four-or-more runs, marking the second series in Postseason history where each of the first five games have been decided by at least four runs. The only other time it has happened was the 1965 World Series between Twins and Dodgers, when the first 6 games were decided by 4+ runs, according to Sarah Langs.
Extra-Bases
Francisco Lindor and Jesse Winker each hit a triple in tonight’s game, marking the first time in Mets’ Postseason history that New York had multiple triples a game. It is the first time that a club tallied multiple triples in a single game since the Dodgers also had two triples in Game 1 of the 2017 NLDS against Arizona. Along with his triple in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against Milwaukee, Winker is the first Mets player with multiple triples in a single Postseason. He is the first player with multiple triples in the Postseason since Yordan Alvarez also had two triples during the 2021 Postseason.
Starling Marte finished the night going 4-for-5 with three doubles, three RBI and a run scored. Marte is the sixth Mets player with four hits in a Postseason game, joining Daniel Murphy (G4 NLCS, 2015); Carlos Delgado (G1 NLDS, 2006); Kevin McReynolds (G6 NLCS, 1988); Lenny Dykstra (G3 WS, 1986); and Rusty Staub (G4 WS, 1973). He is the first Mets player with three doubles in a Postseason game and he is the 17th player (18th occurrence) with at least three doubles in a Postseason game. The last to do it was Kiké Hernández in Game 2 of the 2021 ALDS and the only player to accomplish the feat twice is Albert Pujols, who had three doubles in Game 3 of the 2011 NLDS and Game 2 of the 2011 NLCS.
Turn the Page(s)
Andy Pages hit a solo shot in the fourth inning and two-run shot in the fifth inning, marking the 13th Dodgers player (15th occurrence) to tally a multi-homer game in the Postseason. Other Dodgers with multiple home runs in a Postseason game include AJ Pollock (G5 NLCS, 2021); Chris Taylor (G5 NLCS, 2021); Corey Seager (G5 NLCS, 2020); Kiké Hernández (G5 NLCS, 2017); Adrián González (G5 NLCS, 2013); Carl Crawford (G4 NLDS, 2013); Shawn Green (G3 NLDS, 2004); Eric Karros (G2 NLDS, 1995); Davey Lopes (G1 WS, 1978); Steve Garvey (G1 NLCS, 1978 and G4 NLCS, 1974); Charlie Neal (G2 WS, 1959); and Hall of Famer Duke Snider (G5 WS, 1955 and G6 WS, 1952). Taylor and Hernández are the
only Dodgers with three homers in a Postseason game.
At 23-years, 315-days old Pages is the youngest Dodger ever with a multi-homer game in the Postseason and the 12th player in Postseason history under the age of 24 with a multi-homer game in the Postseason. Other players under 24 with a two-homer game in the Postseason include Jackson Chourio (G2 NLWC, 2024); Fernando Tatis Jr. (G2 NLWC, 2020); Michael Conforto (G4 WS, 2015); Carlos Correa (G4 ALDS, 2015); Evan Longoria (G1 ALDS, 2008); Andruw Jones (G1 WS, 1996); Manny RamÃrez (G2 ALCS, 1995); Hall of Famer Chipper Jones (G1 NLDS, 1995); Willie McGee (G3 WS, 1982); Tony Kubek (G3 WS, 1957); and Charlie Keller (G3 WS, 1939).
