There are holes and then there are craters the size of Chavez Ravine, better known as Dodger Stadium.
For the Mets, one measure of success would be just getting this NLCS back to Los Angeles — something that seemed like a safe bet after departing Southern California earlier this week with the series tied, but after Thursday’s 10-2 loss in Game 4 at Citi Field doesn’t appear so certain.
For the Mets, down 3-1 in the series, the mission is clear: Win three straight games against the Dodgers beginning with Friday’s Game 5 in Queens or start planning for spring training.
“I believe in this group … the character of this team,” Pete Alonso said. “The one word I can think of for the 2024 Mets, other than ‘Grimace,’ is ‘resiliency.’ That’s just who we are. We have fun, we enjoy the moment, but at the end of day we’re a resilient bunch and we respond in a very positive way.”
Even with Freddie Freeman (ankle) on the bench, this powerful Dodgers lineup tormented the Mets for a third time in four games.
And although the Mets weren’t shut out in a loss for the first time in this series, their lineup didn’t produce nearly enough with runners on base.
Exhibit A was the sixth inning when the Mets loaded the bases with nobody out against reliever Evan Phillips and failed to score — pinch-hitter Jesse Winker’s long drive to right inspired hope, but only for a split second.
The Mets finished 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. In the four games, they are 4-for-29 (.138) in that category. The Dodgers have outscored the Mets, 30-9, in the series.
“We have put pressure on them — I would take that first game out of it,” Brandon Nimmo said. “We just haven’t gotten that big hit.”
In his first real clunker in almost two months, Jose Quintana lasted only 3 ¹/₃ innings and allowed five earned runs on five hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
The veteran lefty had pitched 11 innings over two previous starts this postseason without surrendering an earned run.
It followed Luis Severino’s start of only 4 ²/₃ innings a night earlier.
“We ask a lot out of these guys,” manager Carlos Mendoza said, referring to his starting pitchers. “And we’re facing a good team. You’ve got to give those guys credit. That’s a deep lineup. And whether [the starting pitchers] are feeling it or not, we haven’t executed and gotten length from them.”
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Shohei Ohtani launched Quintana’s second pitch of the game over the right-field fence for his second homer in as many days.
This blast left Ohtani’s bat at 117.8 mph, giving him three homers in this postseason.
Mark Vientos’ rocket against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the bottom of the inning tied it 1-1.
It was the fourth homer this postseason for Vientos, whose grand slam in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium carried the Mets to victory.
Vientos’ 12 RBIs tied the franchise record for a postseason with Curtis Granderson (2015) and John Olerud (1999).
Quintana’s night turned south in the third. Tommy Edman stroked an RBI double and Enrique Hernandez’s ensuing infield single gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.
Ohtani walked with one out to begin the rally and Mookie Betts’ ensuing single further applied pressure to Quintana.
Nimmo’s hustle helped the Mets get a run back in the bottom of the inning.
Nimmo, who is dealing with plantar fasciitis in his left foot, beat the relay on a double-play grounder after the Mets had loaded the bases with one out.
Francisco Alvarez and Francisco Lindor singled in succession to begin the rally before Alonso walked.
Chris Taylor singled and Ohtani walked to begin another Dodgers rally in the fourth. Jose Butto replaced Quintana and was greeted by a Betts double that extended the Dodgers’ lead to 5-2.
Yamamoto was removed in the fifth after plunking Alvarez and striking out Lindor.
The right-hander allowed two earned runs on four hits with one walk and eight strikeouts over 4 ¹/₃ innings.
Betts homered against Phil Maton in the sixth to bury the Mets in a 7-2 hole.
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Ohtani’s third straight walk ended Butto’s outing before Betts cleared the left-field fence against Maton.
Jose Iglesias, pinch-hitter Jeff McNeil and Winker were retired in succession without a run scoring after the Mets loaded the bases with nobody out in the sixth.
Lindor and Nimmo singled in the seventh, but Starling Marte was retired by Blake Treinen to end the rally.
Edman’s two-run double in the eighth and Will Smith’s RBI single buried the Mets in a 10-2 hole.
“It’s very real,” Nimmo said. “You lose one more game, you’re done.”
