Final: Mets 3, Dodgers 2

The Dodgers’ 2015 season has ended on a Howie Kendrick strikeout.

Zack Greinke’s 62/3 innings and three runs were not enough. The bullpen’s scoreless performance was not enough. Justin Turner’s three hits were not enough. The difference was Daniel Murphy’s sixth-inning home run.

The Mets are mobbing near the pitcher’s mound as the Dodgers file out of the dugout for the final time this year.


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The Dodgers are down to their final out. A.J. Ellis struck out.

Howie Kendrick will bat now with the season on the line.

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Utley hit the ball hard but right at the right fielder Curtis Granderson for the first out. The Mets’ outfielders are playing no-doubles defense. Center fielder Juan Lagares is not far from the warning track.

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Utley is 3 for 6 lifetime against Familia.

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Turns out Pederson won’t get a chance to hit. The Dodgers will bring in a pinch hitter.

Who, you ask? Oh, only Chase Utley, the hero/villain from Game 2. Utley has a long, and storied, postseason pedigree.

A.J. Ellis will bat second in the No. 9 spot.

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Mets 3, Dodgers 2, bottom of ninth

The Dodgers have three outs to save their season. In the top of the ninth, Lucas Duda and Travis d’Arnaud popped out. With two outs, Juan Lagares doubled, and Jansen walked the next batter, Wilmer Flores, to bring up Jeurys Familia for a rare at bat for a closer. Familia was actually two for four with an RBI for his career, but Jansen struck him out.

For the Dodgers in the ninth, Joc Pederon, batting first, is hitless in four at bats this postseason but has led off two innings tonight with a walk. Howie Kendrick, batting third, is six for 21 with four RBIs and a home run.

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Carl Crawford will remain in the game in left field. A.J. Ellis is the new catcher with Yasmani Grandal replaced for a pinch hitter last inning.

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This is not a big surprise, but closer Kenley Jansen is in for the Dodgers. He has walked two and hasn’t given up a hit in 21/3 innings this series.

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Mets 3, Dodgers 2, top of ninth

Time is running out for the Dodgers. Rollins grounded out to end the inning. They’ll send up Joc Pederson, Howie Kendrick and a pinch hitter in between in the bottom of the ninth inning. Can they make any magic?

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Crawford hit the ball hard, but right at Yoenis Cespedes in left field. Jimmy Rollins is now the pinch hitter, replacing Enrique Hernandez. Rollins has one hit in six at bats this series.


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Andre Ethier led off with a tapper to Familia. One out. Carl Crawford will pinch hit for Yasmani Grandal. He has one hit in 11 at bats this postseason.

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The Mets had options other than Familia. Syndergaard’s last fastball was in the triple digits, and setup man Tyler Clippard was also available, though he had given up a run to the Dodgers already in this series.


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The Mets are bringing in their closer, Jeurys Familia, here in the eighth inning. Familia hasn’t allowed a base runner in 31/3 innings this postseason. He’s gone six outs twice in the regular season and didn’t given up a run then, either.

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Mets 3, Dodgers 2, bottom of eighth


Hatcher does his part. He retires the side in order. David Wright lined out, Daniel Murphy grounded out and Yoenis Cespedes struck out. The Dodgers will bring up Andre Ethier, Yasmani Grandal and Enrique Hernandez in the eighth inning, with the season hanging in the balance.

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A.J. Ellis said earlier today that the Dodgers were marveling at the Mets’ rotation on the flight back from New York. The seventh inning showed why. The Mets went from Jacob deGrom, not a soft-thrower in his own right, to a pitcher throwing 100 mph. And the Dodgers haven’t even reached the actual bullpen.

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Chris Hatcher is in for the Dodgers. He’s thrown 22/3 innings this postseason and has yet to allow a hit. He has struck out four batters.

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Mets 3, Dodgers 2, top of eighth

Syndergaard escapes. He started Turner off with pitches of 98, 99 and 100 mph, then used an 82 mph curveball fool Turner for a strikeout.


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Here’s a chance for the Dodgers. With two outs, Adrian Gonzalez worked a walk. The Dodgers couldn’t have chosen a better batter to send up. It’s Justin Turner, who is only 10 for 18 this series, with six doubles.

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The Mets have made a defensive change this inning. Juan Lagares is in left field. Yoenis Cespedes has moved to left field to replace Michael Conforto.


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Syndergaard is only throwing 100 mph, but he has two easy outs. Howie Kendrick grounded out and Corey Seager struck out.

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In Game 2, Syndergaard went 6 1/3, struck out nine batters and gave up three runs. He was credited with the loss after the wild seventh inning that included Chase Utley’s controversial slide.


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Dodgers co-owner Mark Walter joined in the standing ovation for Zack Greinke. If the Dodgers don’t come back here, this could be his last start with the Dodgers. He can opt out after the season.

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Noah Syndergaard is in to pitch for the Mets. When he started Game 2, he hit 101 mph several times in the first inning. He’s likely pitching only one inning tonight. How fast can he go?


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Mets 3, Dodgers 2, bottom of seventh

Avilan worked out of trouble. With two runners on and two outs, Curtis Granderson flew out top deep left field to end the inning.

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The night is over for Zack Greinke, too. After a Kelly Johnson infield single, he walks off to applause. Luis Avilan is now in to pitch.

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deGrom’s night is done. Kelly Johnson will pinch hit for him in the eighth inning with a runner on first and two outs. Noah Syndergaard is warming up in the Mets’ bullpen.

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Mets 3, Dodgers 2, top of seventh

That’s what they call a shutdown inning for deGrom. He follows Murphy’s home run in the top of the inning with a 1-2-3 bottom half. Enrique Hernandez grounded out, Joc Pederson popped out and Greinke gave the ball a ride into the gap, but it was tracked down by Curtis Granderson. The Dodgers have nine outs left.

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Mets 3, Dodgers 2, bottom of sixth


Zack Greinke recovered with strikeouts of Yoenis Cespedes and Lucas Duda, but the momentum has shifted. The Dodgers will come to the plate trailing for the first time since the first inning.

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Mets 3, Dodgers 2, top of sixth

Daniel Murphy strikes again. His third home run this series is a crucial one. He lined this one to right field to give the Mets the 3-2 advantage.


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Dodgers 2, Mets 2, top of sixth

Turner was left marooned on second base. Andrew Ethier popped out and Yasmani Grandal struck out to end the inning.

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Justin Turner just hit his sixth double. He is three for three today, and 10 of 18 for the series.

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Dodgers 2, Mets 2, bottom of fifth

Greinke rebounded with a quick inning. He struck out Wilmer Flores, broke Jacob deGrom’s bat on a weak pop up and popped up Curtis Granderson to retire the side in order.


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Dodgers 2, Mets 2, top of fifth

Just like the second inning, Joc Pederson led off with a walk and Zack Greinke sacrificed him to second base. But, like the second inning, the Dodgers wouldn’t drive him in. Pederson advanced to third on Howie Kendrick’s fly out, but Corey Seager struck out to strand him there.

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Dodgers 2, Mets 2, bottom of fourth

Michael Conforto grounded out to end the inning. It’s a brand new ballgame.

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Dodgers 2, Mets 2, top of fourth


Murphy’s smart base running just stole a run for the Mets. Travis d’Arnaud hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Murphy from third and tie the game.

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The shift comes back to bite the Dodgers. After Daniel Murphy’s leadoff single and a Lucas Duda walk with one out, Murphy slyly took off for third while the defense was overloaded on the right side for Duda. The Mets now have runners on the corners and one out.

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After Andre Ethier’s fly out in the third inning, television cameras showed Ethier arguing with Manager Don Mattingly in the dugout. It is unclear, at the moment, what the dispute was.

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Dodgers 2, Mets 1, top of fourth

The Dodgers squandered another great scoring opportunity. After his double, Turner stole third and Yasmani Grandal walked, setting up runners on the corners and one out for Enrique Hernandez. Hernandez hit a grounder right to Jacob deGrom, who turned an easy double play.


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Justin Turner just hit his fifth double of this series. That’s a franchise record.

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Dodgers 2, Mets 1, bottom of third


Another 1-2-3 inning for Zack Greinke. He induced two ground outs, then struck out David Wright.

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From ESPN: Zack Greinke is 19-0 when he has at least two runs of support.

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Through two innings, deGrom has thrown 45 pitches.

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Dodgers 2, Mets 1, top of third

The Dodgers had a chance to blow this game open, but they couldn’t find a hit. Joc Pederson led off with a walk and was bunted to second by Zack Greinke. Howie Kendrick reached on an error, and the Dodgers had two men on and one out. But Jacob deGrom struck out Corey Seager and Adrian Gonzalez to escape.


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The Mets are scrambling their bullpen. Noah Syndergaard, the Game 2 starter, is warming up.

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Dodgers 2, Mets 1, bottom of second


Zack Greinke was much better in the second. He struck out Travis d’Arnaud to start the inning. On the next at bat, Andre Ethier made a sprawling, diving grab on a Michael Conforto fly ball down the right-field line to rob a base hit. Greinke struck out Wilmer Flores to retire the side in order.

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Dodgers 2, Mets 1, top of second

The rally ended on two straight strikeouts, from Yasmani Grandal and Enrique Hernandez, but the Dodgers have handed Zack Greinke the lead.


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Dodgers 2, Mets 1, bottom of first

That’s four straight singles for the Dogers. Andre Ethier’s bloop single brings in Gonzalez from third, and the Dodgers have the lead. Mets pitching coach Dan Warten is out to visit deGrom. The one out he has recorded so far was a bullet line drive right to the first baseman.

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Mets 1, Dodgers 1, bottom of first

The Dodgers are hitting Jacob deGrom hard. Three straight singles, by Corey Seager, Adrian Gonzalez and Justin Turner, puts the Dodgers on the board. The stadium is swaying. The Dodgers have tied the game and are threatening more, with runners on the corners and one out.

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Mets 1, Dodgers 0, bottom of first


Greinke struck out Yoenis Cespedes and Lucas Duda to strand Murphy at third base, but the Dodgers will be playing from behind.

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Mets 1, Dodgers 0, top of first

The Mets strike first. Curtis Granderson tapped a grounder past a diving Zack Greinke. Initially, Granderson was ruled out on the throw from Justin Turner, but the call was overturned on replay.


It would hurt the Dodgers. After David Wright struck out, Daniel Murphy hit a triple into the left-center field gap, aided by an Enrique Hernandez bobble while he retrieved the ball.

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We are underway. Zack Greinke’s first pitch is a strike.

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This could the last game for Nancy Bea Hefley, the Dodgers’ organist for 28 years. Orel Hershiser just threw out the first pitch as Hefley played “Master of the House” on the organ. She is a gem.

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One last pregame look at how the Dodgers may or may not use Clayton Kershaw tonight. Orel Hershiser predicts “You might get Clayton.”

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The lineups are being announced. The boos are less vociferous than in New York.

The Dodgers are hoping to make this an early winter for the Mets.

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We’re about 20 minutes before the first pitch, and the Dodgers’ video boards are showing very loud hosts interview very wrong fan trivia contestants. Have I mentioned it’s very loud?


When asked how loud the pregame entertainment is, beat writer Dylan Hernandez replied something that was easily drowned out by the very loud pregame entertainment.

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Now for some pregame reading:

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The Dodgers take on the New York Mets in Game 5 of the National League division series at 5 o’clock tonight at Dodger Stadium. Zack Greinke will pitch for L.A. against Jacob deGrom of the Mets.

Bill Plaschke, Dylan Hernandez, Steve Dilbeck, Bill Shaikin and Zach Helfand will bring you all the action live from Dodger Stadium. You can follow along with inning-by-inning updates right here.