You’ve got to hit to win games here. “We are down two games”.
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Given the quick lead on a chilly night, Syndergaard kept the bats of Chicago’s young sluggers on ice with shutout ball into the sixth inning. Right now, New York holds a 2-0 series lead, but now the scene shifts to Chicago for the next three games of this best-of-seven situation.
The Cubs seek their first World Series title since 1908 and their first World Series appearance in 70 years, while the Mets have not won the crown since 1986 and have not played in the World Series in 15 years.
“The minute you think they’re naive enough to think this is over, you’re making a big mistake”, Mets manager Terry Collins said.
On the other side of things, Chicago will send Kyle Hendricks out to the mound.
Either the Mets or Cubs will face the American League champion, the Kansas City Royals or Toronto Blue Jays, in the World Series starting October 27.
Cubs Manager Joe Maddon insists he has lost no confidence in his offense, saying they are focused on playing the Rocky Balboa role in the NLCS. I went down to block it. I just unfortunately didn’t. This week we’re lucky Daniel Murphy has hit exactly five home runs this postseason.
“He’s about as locked in as I’ve seen a hitter”, Wright said.
After the Mets beat the Dodgers in the Division Series, the rookie tweeted, “Our enemy has been vanquished…Odin is pleased” – a reference to Thor’s father. That must be change if the Cubs are going to make a series out of this.
About two decades later, in 1937, the “W” came to Chicago.
But like Syndergaard, who had very different results in his postseason start against the Cubs on Sunday, deGrom has improved after making a few mechanical adjustments.
It marked the first time since 2010 that Arrieta had surrendered three runs in the opening inning. With his velocity down slightly, he found himself trailing after nine pitches and down 3-0 after 13.
With a runner at second and one out, Murphy hit a grounder to third that Kris Bryant double-clutched, and that extra second allowed Murphy to reach on an infield single.
Murphy raised his right fist in triumph while rounding first base and took a curtain call after a prolonged ovation.
“The ambush early got us”, Maddon said. He doesn’t have the range to be an asset defensively at second, he doesn’t draw many walks, and he lacks the power you’d prefer at first or third base.
He walked leading off and stole second as Wright struck out. After all, deGrom went 14-8 with a 2.54 ERA and a 2.70 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) in 191 innings this season. These were the two runs that Hammel gave up in his three innings of work as he allowed three hits while walking three and striking out two. He was replaced by Alex Wood with a 6-2 lead after giving up consecutive homers.
Mets center fielder Yoenis Cespedes scored from third with two outs in the sixth on what should have been an inning-ending third strike to left fielder Michael Conforto from Cahill.
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Concern, though? There better be that be that and a sense or urgency for the Cubs as they trail 2-0 against the Mets. “That, I would say, you can still accept them but I do disagree with the lifestyle, 100 percent”.
