When Game 3 of the National League Championship Series took place on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field, the New York Mets were up two games to one over the Chicago Cubs. Both teams remained neck and neck until the Mets were able to get ahead in the seventh and then build on that in the eighth for a 5- 2 ballgame. The Mets now need just one more win for a trip to the World Series for the first time in 15 years.
In the top of the first Yoenis Cespedes hit a RBI double on a line drive to left field off Cubs’ starter Kyle Hendricks, sending David Wright to score.
The Cubs answered back in the bottom of the first when Rookie Kyle Schwarber hit a solo home run on a fly ball to left center field off of the Mets’ Jacob deGrom.
In the top of the third, Daniel Murphy hit a solo home run of his own on a fly ball to center to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. This is now the fifth straight game that Murphy has hit a homer, tying Carlos Beltran, who did it with the Astros in the 2004 playoffs. Murphy now owns the Mets franchise record for home runs in one single postseason with his sixth on Tuesday.
The Cubs were able to tie it at 2-2 when Jorge Soler hit the second home run of the night by Chicago off deGrom.
Hendricks went just four innings, allowing two runs on five hits, striking out four and walking just one. LHP Clayton Richard pitched the fifth and allowed just one hit.
In the top of the sixth, Michael Conforto struck out but, a wild pitch by the Cubs’ Trevor Cahill allowed him to reach first and Cespedes was able to score from third, for a 3-2 Mets lead.
In the top of the seventh, with Justin Grimm pitching for the Cubs, Cespedes hit a RBI single on a line drive to left field, scoring David Wright with Daniel Murphy advanced to third. Lucas Duda then grounded out to send Murphy home for a 5-2 ballgame.
Jacob deGrom finished his night after seven innings, allowing two runs, both homers, on four hits, and striking out seven.
Reliever Tyler Clippard pitched a one hit eighth inning for the Mets to secure the lead and then it was time for the Mets’ closer Jeurys Familia to close it out in the ninth. Familia went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth to secure the Mets third win of the series and take a commanding 3-0 NLCS lead.
Game Notes:
Jacob deGrom now has three postseason victories in 2015.
Mets Two, three and four hitters, went 8 for 14, five runs scored, two doubles, home run and three RBI’s:
David Wright – 3 for 4, 2 R, Double
Daniel Murphy – 2 for 5, 2 R, HR, RBI
Yoenis Cespedes – 3 for 5, R, Double, 2 RBI
What’s Next
On Wednesday night, the Mets will look to close out the series as the Cubs look to stay alive. First pitch in Game 4 scheduled for 8:00 pm.
Photo by: Ron Vesely/MLB Photos
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