The Mets, pushed to the brink, pushed their strongest relievers to the brink.
On a night when David Peterson had the best 3 ¹/₃ innings, two runs, in Mets history, the Mets were tasked with stringing together the next 5 ¹/₃ innings.
They beat the Dodgers 12-6 at Citi Field, and by demanding multiple innings from Edwin Diaz and a marathon from Ryne Stanek, they lived on as a fitting word for their Game 5 NLCS win. .
The Mets led by eight points after the fourth inning, and even though the score was lopsided, they played like there was no tomorrow against the power of the Dodgers' batters.
The mission to bring the series back to Los Angeles at all costs was accomplished.
“These guys are nails,” Jesse Winker said. “They're ready. They're ready to come and go at any time, and they're savages.”
The first barbarian was Reed Garrett, who successfully escaped a two-out, bases-loaded pinch given by Peterson by striking out Freddie Freeman, but was hit in the next inning.
With a plank and a walk, Andy Pages hit his second home run of the game, bringing the Dodgers within 10-5.
Manager Carlos Mendoza essentially asked two big-armed relief pitchers to make the final 13 outs because he now has two big-armed relief pitchers to rely on for the final 13 outs.
“Today was the day we had to work hard,” Diaz said of himself and Stanek. “He was ready to go. I was talking to him in the bullpen and he said, 'If they need me, I'm ready to go six out, seven out, nine out.' . ”
they needed him.
Stanek came on and struck out Shohei Ohtani.
He returned in the sixth inning and allowed a solo shot to Mookie Betts, but nothing more.
Stanek said it was the first time since his rookie season in 2017 that he was asked for a third “up,” or frame for the third job.
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“Right now, it's a situation where I'm trying to empty the tank and go get it,” said Stanek, a power righty who recorded seven outs for the first time in a major league game.
He pitched seven scoreless innings, and after his 31st pitch of the night, Gavin Lux appeared for the final out and clapped his glove.
His job done, it was Diaz's turn to push himself to the limit.
In a game the Mets were winning by five runs, Mendoza called for six outs from Diaz starting in the eighth inning, but he had only reached this length twice in the regular season and once in the postseason.
He hit Shohei Otani, who swung a high fastball within the 1-2-3 frame.
Diaz pitched effectively, allowing only an infield hit by Tommy Edman in the ninth inning, and needed just 23 pitches to get six outs.
The Mets will exhale, and the bullpen's most reliable arm could get some treatment.
When asked how he felt physically, Stanek laughed.
“Great,” he managed to say. “I'm glad I won.”
