Mets blown out for third time in NLCS as Dodgers take commanding 3-1 series lead with Game 4 victory

It’s becoming progressively evident that the Los Angeles Dodgers are a atrocious matchup for the Mets. It was a atrocious matchup for left-hander Jose Quintana successful Game 4 of the NLCS connected Thursday night, and a atrocious matchup for Jose Butto, the right-hander who relieved him.

It was a atrocious matchup for a lineup that has abruptly gone arsenic acold arsenic the somesthesia astatine Citi Field.

The Mets are down 3-1 successful the bid aft a 10-2 nonaccomplishment connected Thursday nighttime astatine Citi Field. They’ve been outscored 30-9 successful the bid and are present faced with the anticipation of being eliminated Friday nighttime successful Game 5. The magic that has characterized the Mets’ period of October feels arsenic though it’s dissipating with each tally scored by the Dodgers.

For a little moment, determination was anticipation for the location team. After Shohei Ohtani teed disconnected connected Quintana to commencement the game, Mark Vientos evened the people with 1 of his ain disconnected Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the pitcher who spurned the Mets for the Dodgers, successful the bottommost of the inning. Quintana gave up 2 much runs successful the third, but it could person been worse without the defense-saving runs down him. The Amazin’s chopped the pb to 1 successful the bottommost of the inning, but that was arsenic adjacent arsenic they would come.

The Mets person a pugnacious clip playing to their ain strengths against the Dodgers. A agelong lineup afloat of diligent hitters that don’t pursuit breaking balls retired of the zone, the Mets’ pitching unit has been incapable to enactment up successful the number and propulsion strikes. Four pitchers walked 9 hitters.

The Dodgers pitching unit has been capable to get retired of occupation with postulation connected the bases. The large hits that came successful the archetypal 2 rounds of the playoffs person gone for outs successful the third. One nighttime aft leaving 8 men connected base, the Mets stranded 12.

Down 1 tally successful the bottommost of the third, they near 2 connected base. Down 5 successful the bottommost of the sixth, the Mets loaded the bases connected Blake Treinen with nary out, lone to spell down successful order. Jose Iglesias struck out, pinch-hitter Jeff McNeil popped 1 up to shallow halfway tract and Jesse Winker pinch-hit a alert shot backmost to the close tract informing track, but it didn’t transportation capable and landed successful the mitt of Mookie Betts for the 3rd out.

Betts killed the Mets, going 4-for-6 with 4 RBI and 3 runs scored. His two-run treble successful the apical of the 4th was the cardinal play of the game.

After Quintana enactment 2 connected with 1 retired successful the fourth, the Mets, down 3-2, pulled him for Butto. Butto had struggled done his archetypal postseason, coming successful allowing 4 earned runs successful lone 4 2/3 innings. Still, with 2 right-handers coming up, the Mets played the matchups.

Facing Betts, helium threw 2 sliders successful the ungraded successful an effort to get the outfielder to chase. Betts didn’t bite. Forced to spell to his fastball, helium near it implicit the sheet and Betts drilled it into the near tract country to wide the bases.

The Mets fell down 5-2. Quintana was charged with each 5 runs. He walked 4 and struck retired 2 implicit 3 1/3 innings.

Butto pitched astir Ohtani successful the sixth and Maton came connected to look Betts with 1 out. He drove a 2-2 sweeper implicit the near tract fence, putting Los Angeles up 7-2.

After Danny Young gave up 3 runs successful the apical of the eighth, a sellout assemblage thinned retired significantly, hitting the turnstiles for an aboriginal exit.