Mets capitalize on Cubs' miscues to take 3-0 series lead
Several key misplays have the Chicago Cubs on the brink of elimination.
The New York Mets took full advantage of a shaky Cubs side in Game 3 of the NLCS en route to a 5-2 win, putting them one win away from their first trip to the World Series since 2000.
Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy tied a major-league record by homering in his fifth straight postseason game, while Jacob deGrom tossed seven solid innings to give the Mets a fourth straight win.
Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler both hit solo home runs for Chicago.
Top Performer: Yoenis Cespedes paced the Mets' offense, going 3-for-4 with a double, stolen base, and two RBIs. The outfielder opened the scoring in the first with an RBI double, and plated the team's fourth run in the seventh with an RBI single that bounced out of the glove of Schwarber. New York's Nos. 2 through 4 hitters finished 8-for-12 with three RBIs.
Starting Pitchers: For a third straight game, a Cubs starter allowed a first-inning run, but Kyle Hendricks would settle down, allowing two runs off four hits to go with four strikeouts, before being pulled to start the fifth after just 67 pitches.
deGrom entered the start having surrendered just one home run over his last 47 innings, but served up a pair of long balls in Game 3 - the only damage the right-hander allowed while picking up seven strikeouts for his third postseason win in as many starts.
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| deGrom | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| Hendricks | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
Key Moment: With Cespedes on third following a stolen base in the sixth, Cubs reliever Trevor Cahill got Michael Conforto to strike out. However, the ball bounced past catcher Miguel Montero, allowing Cespedes to score the winning run and Conforto to reach first safely.
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
Up Next: Chicago will look to become just the second team in history to battle back from a 3-0 deficit in the LCS when it puts its season in the hands of Jason Hammel (0-0, 6.00 ERA). The right-hander allowed two runs off three hits in one start in the NLDS. The Mets will send rookie Steven Matz (0-1, 5.40 ERA) to the mound as they go for the sweep. The left-hander allowed three runs off six hits, while striking out four in his only postseason start.