FINAL SCORE: Mets 5 - 2 Cubs
The New York Mets moved one win away from a trip to the World Series with a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night.
The Mets wasted little time in getting on the board in the top of the first. Though Curtis Granderson was caught stealing after reaching on an error, David Wright followed with a single and scored on an RBI double from Yoenis Cespedes.
However, the Cubs provided an immediate answer and tied the score with a solo home run from Kyle Schwarber that carried over the left field wall.
Unfortunately for the Cubs, Daniel Murphy had yet to cool off. The postseason slugger belted another home run in his fifth-straight playoff game to give the Mets the 2-1 lead in the top of the third.
In the bottom of the fourth, Jorge Soler followed suit and blasted a solo home run of his own to tie things back up at 2-2.
Things then got a little crazy in the top of the sixth. Cespedes led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a Duda sacrifice bunt and stole third base. With two outs, reliever Trevor Cahill got Michael Conforto to swing and miss on strike three, but the breaking ball went by Miguel Montero and allowed Conforto to advance to first without a throw. Cespedes scored on the wild pitch and the Mets took a 3-2 lead.
Flores then followed with a looping liner to right field that got passed a diving Soler and bounced toward the wall. Unfortunately for New York, the ball got caught in the ivy and a ground-rule double was called, which forced Conforto—who would have scored easily—to go back to third. deGrom then popped out to end the inning.
New York would then tack on to its lead with two runs in the seventh. David Wright doubled and Murphy beat out a slow roller to third that set up runners on the corners with one out. Cespedes followed with a lined shot to left that Schwarber got a glove on but couldn't bring in, allowing Wright to score. Duda followed with a high chopper to first and Anthony Rizzo stepped on the base for the second out, but Murphy raced home from third and slid ahead of the throw to extend the lead to 5-2.
The Mets two-three-four hitters combined to go 8-for-14 with three RBI and five runs scored. On the other hand, Chicago has managed just five runs in 27 innings this series. And after a shaky first inning, deGrom settled down and gave up just four hits through seven innings while striking out seven.
New York left-hander Steven Matz is slated to start Game 4. He gave up three runs in five innings in a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.
The Cubs now have the daunting task of having to win four-straight postseason games for the first time since 1907 while also entering Game 4 without having a lead at any point in this series.
Chicago will send out Jason Hammel to start the game in his second start of the postseason. He gave up two runs in three innings in a no-decision against the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS.
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