Mets Crush Dodgers, Just 1 Win Away

The Mets are now on the cusp of moving onto the NLCS. They crushed the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLDS Monday night at Citi Field to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

The Dodgers led off the second with three straight singles to load the bases. Yasmani Grandal singled to right to score two runs. But Curtis Granderson’s throw to the infield was wild and a third run scored to give the Dodgers a 3-0 lead.

But the Mets answered right back in the bottom of the inning, with a little help from the Dodgers infield. Yoenis Cespedes led off with a grounder to short. Jimmy Rollins fielded it but took too much time to get the throw off and the hustling Cespedes beat it. Lucas Duda singled, as did Travis d’Arnaud to drive in Cespedes to make it 3-1. With runners on first and second, Wilmer Flores hit a slow roller to second. Howie Kendrick came up with it but couldn’t find the handle. Flores was safe and first and the bases were loaded. Juan Lagares hit a grounder to first; Adrian Gonzalez threw home for the force for the first out. Matt Harvey struck out and with two outs, Granderson made up for his throwing error by doubling off the wall to clear the bases and give the Mets a 4-3 lead.

Cespedes singled again in the third and with two outs d’Arnaud came through with a home run into the Party Citi Deck to extend the Mets lead to 6-3.

The Mets broke it open in the fourth, Juan Lagares led off with a double. With two outs (again), David Wright was intentionally walked. Bad move — Daniel Murphy singled to score Lagares to make it 7-3. Then Cespedes hit a rocket into the second deck in left to give the Mets a 10-3 lead. Look out, everyone — Yoenis Cespedes is hot again.

Matt Harvey was not at his best, but he was good enough to win. He went five innings and 97 pitches, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits. He walked two and struck out seven.

The Mets scored three more runs in the seventh, including another Granderson double off the wall that scored two of them. He had five RBIs on the night and is batting .545 for the series.

Bartolo Colon pitched two innings in relief, allowing a run on a Gonzalez home run. Addison Reed pitched the eighth. Erik Goeddel came on in the ninth and could not record an out. Instead, he allowed four straight hits, including a three-run homer to Howie Kendrick. Terry Collins was forced to bring in Jeurys Familia with a runner on first. He was able to close out the game.

Mets win 13-7. They go for the clincher Tuesday night in Flushing.