(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppen)
 Mets open NLCS at home with win vs. Cubs
Nederlands
 QUEENS, New York City, New York (USA) -
The New York Mets opened the best-of-seven National League Championship Series on Saturday-evening (October 17) with a 4-2 victory at home against the Chicago Cubs.
Game Two will be played on Sunday.
For the Mets, this is the eighth time that they play in an NLCS and the first time since 2006.
The last time they won an NLCS was in 2000 vs. St. Louis Cardinals.
The Cubs are playing in their fourth NLCS and its first since 2003, which they lost back then against the Florida Marlins.
The Cubs also lost their previous two appearances in an NLCS in 1984 and 1989.
But this is the first-ever postseason series between the Mets and the Cubs.
Earlier today, the Kansas City Royals took a 2-0 lead in the American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Royals trailed 3-0, but then rallied for five runs in the seventh inning to turn the game its way.
Recap Game 2, Royals vs. Blue Jays
Starting pitchers tonight were righthander Matt Harvey for the Mets and lefthander Jon Lester for the Cubs.
Matt Harvey was 13-8 this season with a 3.60 ERA.
In his career, Harvey is 1-0 vs. the Cubs.
Harvey made his first postseason-start in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers and then was the winning pitcher, throwing five innings.
Jon Lester was 11-12 this season with a 3.68 ERA.
In his career, Lester is 2-0 vs. the Mets.
Lester started Game One of the NLDS vs. the St. Louis Cardinals and then was the losing pitcher, throwing 7 1/3 inning.
On a very chilly evening, the Mets got on the board first and they did it right away in it first at bat.
After Matt Harvey had retired the side in the top of the first inning, the first two Mets-batters were retired by Jon Lester.
But hereafter, Daniel Murphy, the hero of Game 5 against the Dodgers, homered to make it 1-0.
...Travis d'Arnaud...
...2-for-3, homerun...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the second inning, Travis d'Arnaud led off for the Mets with a single, but he was then eliminated in a double play.
Matt Harvey retired the first 12 batters he faced, but then ran into problems in the fifth inning.
He hit lead-off hitter Anthony Rizzo, who then scored all the way from first base on a double by Starlin Castro to tie the score.
With one out, Javier Baez singled.
Castro tried to score, but was eliminated at the plate on a nice throw by centerfielder Yoenis Cespedes to catcher Travis d'Arnaud, who made a great tag.
Moments later, Baez stole second base and advanced on a throwing error.
Next batter David Ross was then walked intentionally to get to pitcher Jon Lester, who struckout to end the inning.
But the score was tied.
That didn't last long, as the Mets broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth.
With one out, Wilmer Flores and Juan Lagares both singled off of Lester.
Hereafter, Flores was forced out at third base on a grounder by Matt Harvey, but Curtis Granderson followed with a runscoring single that put the Mets ahead again, 2-1.
The Mets added another run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Travis d'Arnaud homered with two outs.
In the top of the seventh, the lead was threatened.
Matt Harvey walked lead-off hitter Anthony Rizzo, then Starlin Castro lined out.
With the throw to first base trying to double up the runner, Rizzo was hit on his hand by the ball, but could continue.
A single by Jorge Soler followed, but then Harvey struckout the next two batters.
The Mets then added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh.
Juan Lagares led off with a single, advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Matt Harvey, then stole third base and scored on a sacrifice fly by Curtis Granderson.
The Cubs cut the Mets-lead in half when Kyle Schwarber homered with two outs in the top of the eighth.
It was Schwarber's fourth homerun in the postseason and also led to a pitching change, as closer Jeurys Familia took over from Matt Harvey.
Familia had retired all 18 batters he faced in the series against the Dodgers, but now he walked rookie Kris Bryant, however, a groundout then ended the inning.
With two outs in the top of the ninth, Familia gave up a single to Miguel Montero, which was the first basehit the righthander gave up this postseason.
But hereafter, second baseman Daniel Murphy made a great play on a hard liner by Tommy La Stella and eliminated him at first base to end the game.
With that, Familia earned a save and the Mets opened the NLCS with a win.
(October 17)
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