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Reyes and the Mets are the team that advances from the Big AppleWell so much for momentum. The red-hot Dodgers had being winning games in all kinds of fashions down the stretch, including 4 back-to-back home runs in the 9th, game-winning HR's in extra innings and dominating pitching performances.
Well the boys in blue got none of the above in their 3 game sweep at the hands of the supposedly rusty and battered New York Mets. Without a top flite pitcher aside from Tom Glavine and facing their first meaningful action on the field since June the Mets dismantled the weaker Dodgers thanks to dominating offense, clutch pitching from their 'pen, and one wacky double play at home plate.
Because let's face it, when LA had 2 runners gunned down at the plate on 1 play in the 2nd inning of Game 1 the series was basically over. I mean what team is going to come back & win a series after a monumentally historic blunder like that? Not these boys, who lost Comeback Player of the Year Nomah to a torn quad in Game 2, had their best lefty reliever cut his hand in a bar and removed from the roster, and got no pitching help from their 3 horses, D-Lowe, Greg Maddux, and Brad Penny.
The Dodgers had their chances in Game 3, leading 5-4 after 5 thanks to a 2-run double and 2-run hr by Jeff Kent (4-4 after his blunder in Game 1) but squandered that away the following inning. Catalyst Jose Reyes started the rally with a single, then LoDuca, Beltran and Davis wright followed with hits and before you could say 'we've blown it' the lead went to NY and the series was over.
Well the boys in blue got none of the above in their 3 game sweep at the hands of the supposedly rusty and battered New York Mets. Without a top flite pitcher aside from Tom Glavine and facing their first meaningful action on the field since June the Mets dismantled the weaker Dodgers thanks to dominating offense, clutch pitching from their 'pen, and one wacky double play at home plate.
Because let's face it, when LA had 2 runners gunned down at the plate on 1 play in the 2nd inning of Game 1 the series was basically over. I mean what team is going to come back & win a series after a monumentally historic blunder like that? Not these boys, who lost Comeback Player of the Year Nomah to a torn quad in Game 2, had their best lefty reliever cut his hand in a bar and removed from the roster, and got no pitching help from their 3 horses, D-Lowe, Greg Maddux, and Brad Penny.
The Dodgers had their chances in Game 3, leading 5-4 after 5 thanks to a 2-run double and 2-run hr by Jeff Kent (4-4 after his blunder in Game 1) but squandered that away the following inning. Catalyst Jose Reyes started the rally with a single, then LoDuca, Beltran and Davis wright followed with hits and before you could say 'we've blown it' the lead went to NY and the series was over.
So the now tested and better rested Mets will await the winner of the Pads/Cards series, as San Diego forced another game with their Game 3 victory.
But everyone who said the Mets were dead in the water better check your Ner York teams- maybe you meant the Stankees.
Padres stay alive thanks to Ex-Rays
Who knew that a couple of Devil Ray castoffs would have so much to do with the Padres staving off elimination in their NLDS with St.Louis?
Russell Branyan, who was dumped mid-season by Tampa Bay after striking out more times than than my 9-year-old hit a 2-run triple in the 4th and another Ex-ray, 3b Geoff Blum, a hero for last years' World Champ White Sox followed with a sac fly, and that was all the runs San Diego would need to force a Game 4 (TONIGHT 7PM, FOX.)
Padre starter Chris Young gave San Diego a fighting chance with his effort (6.2 IP, 4 H, 2BB, 9Ks) and All Time saves leader Trevor Hoffman finally got some redemption for his 1998World series failure with a perfect 9th, getting Edmonds, Rolen & Encarnacion on 7 pitches .
Now it's up to Woody Williams to save the season for San Diego, but he'll face tough mound competition from cards ace and Game 1 winner Chris Carpenter.
If they want to have a shot, just call on the Ex Rays to win the game.
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