LOS ANGELES — Thank you for the memories.
On Sunday night, OMG, Grimace, and Playoff Pumpkin were all in the past tense. That's because a Mets team that defied expectations for much of the season couldn't find another miracle.
Sean Manaea was hit early, and the Mets didn't have much to do after losing 10-5 to the Dodgers in Game 6 of the National League CS. The Dodgers tied the National League record with 25 pennants and will host the Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday.
It was the 38th season for the Mets to win the World Series, but the Mets defied most expectations and won 89 games, earning a wild card berth and advancing to the playoffs, defeating the Brewers and Phillies in the Wild Card Series and NLDS, respectively. took the lead.
This experienced Dodgers team posed too many challenges, even with a shabby starting rotation. Instead, the Dodgers relied on their bullpen, relying on stars like Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts, as well as lesser-known players Max Muncy and Tommy Edman to carry the offense.
The Mets needed Manaea's length, but they didn't get it. The left-handed pitcher was pulled after recording just six outs, allowing five earned runs on six hits and two walks on 64 pitches.
Pete Alonso, in what could be his last game in a Mets uniform and will head to free agency after the World Series, went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
The Mets had only one hit out of eight with runners in scoring position, leaving 12 runners on base.
Alonso's infield hit gave them the lead in the first inning. Francisco Lindor walked first and reached second base on Michael Kopech's wild pitch. With one out and third base, Alonso hit Lindor's slow bouncer, which was deflected by Chris Taylor.
Manaea struggled from the start, facing seven batters in the first inning as the Dodgers built a 2-1 lead. Ohtani hit a lead-off single, and Teoscar Hernandez hit a shot to center field that looked like a two-run home run, but the ball hit the fence and became an extra-base hit (due to an unsuccessful base run). Hernandez's error became a point of contention with Edman's two-run double.
The Dodgers took the lead in the third inning with four runs, including two home runs, and pushed the Mets to a 6-1 deficit. Edman hit a two-run home run before Phil Mayton came on and dropped a two-run bomb to Will Smith.
Mark Vientos hit his fifth home run of the postseason, driving in two runs in the fourth inning and pulling the Mets within 6-3. Francisco Alvarez hit a leadoff single in the first inning before Vientos cleared the center field fence against Ryan Brazier.
Edwin Diaz entered the game in the fourth inning with the Mets leading 6-3 and pitched two scoreless innings. It was the second consecutive two-inning scoreless performance for Diaz, who teamed with Ryne Stanek to give the Mets a heroic bullpen effort in the Game 5 win at Citi Field.
Alonso issued a walk in the sixth inning, loaded the bases, and led Jesse Winker to the plate with two outs and a potential lead. Winker was retired by Evan Phillips' soft fly to left.
Ohtani flew into Tyrone Taylor's glove in the sixth inning for a single to center field, increasing the Dodgers' lead to 7-3.
The Mets got one run back in the seventh inning. Taylor and Jeff McNeil each singled, and Alvarez scored on a sacrifice fly.
Kodai Senga entered the game in seventh place and pitched no runs in the first inning. The right-handed pitcher returned in the eighth inning and allowed an RBI double to Betts before Hernandez's sacrifice fly gave the Dodgers their ninth run. Enrique Hernandez hit an RBI single to put the Mets in a 10-4 hole.
McNeil's RBI in the ninth inning was the Mets' last of the season.
