Mets survive Game 5 vs. Dodgers to send NLCS back to Los Angeles

The 2024 New York Mets will play at least one more game. 

Facing elimination against a Dodgers team that has overpowered them so far, the Mets brought out the bats at home Friday to win Game 5 of the NLCS 12-6. 

With the win, the Mets avoided elimination and getting swept in all three games of the series at home. 

Down 3-2 in the series, the Mets will return to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles for Game 6 needing two straight wins to advance to the World Series. The Dodgers only need to win one game. 

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Pete Alonso golfed an early three-run homer, and the Mets hammered an ineffective Jack Flaherty, extending the National League Championship Series.

Starling Marte had three doubles, four hits and three RBIs for New York. Francisco Alvarez broke out of a slump with three hits, including an RBI single in a five-run third inning. Francisco Lindor and Jesse Winker each laced an RBI triple.

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After getting blown out in three of the first four games, including the previous two nights at home, the wild-card Mets saved their season for the second time in these playoffs — both with the help of a three-run shot by Alonso.

Sean Manaea is expected to start for New York on five days rest, while the Dodgers are likely to go with another bullpen game because of a thin rotation decimated by injuries.

With an opportunity to pitch his hometown team into the World Series, Flaherty flopped. After throwing seven shutout innings of two-hit ball in a Game 1 win, he fell behind 3-0 four batters in when Alonso launched a low slider 432 feet to center field for his fourth homer this postseason.

Alonso, poised to become a prized free agent this fall, also connected on a go-ahead shot with the Mets facing elimination in Game 3 of their wild-card series in Milwaukee. That one was more dramatic, coming with New York trailing 2-0 and down to its final two outs in the ninth.

But, once again, Alonso went deep to help extend his tenure in a Mets uniform.

Flaherty allowed eight runs and eight hits in three innings. He failed to strike out a batter for the first time since a September 2022 game with St. Louis against Pittsburgh.

After striking out 12 times Thursday night, the Mets did not whiff once in Game 5.

Handed an 8-1 lead, New York starter David Peterson was unable to make it through the fourth.

Dodgers rookie Andy Pages homered twice and drove in four runs. Mookie Betts went deep for the second consecutive game, helping Los Angeles cut an eight-run deficit to 10-6.

But then relievers Ryne Stanek and Edwin Díaz settled things down, and the Mets put it away. Stanek worked a career-high 2⅓ innings for the victory, and Díaz got six outs without permitting a run.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.