Game one of this series was a back-and-forth affair that ended with an 8-6 New York Mets (11-6) win over the Los Angeles Dodgers (8-9). Game two is set for Tuesday night, with a quick turnaround into this one on Wednesday afternoon. Injuries have taken away some of the potential stars from this series, notably Justin Verlander, Edwin Diaz, and Will Smith, but these are still two of MLB's best rosters. For the final time until July, these clubs will dance Wednesday at 3:10 p.m. EST, as Dodger Stadium hosts afternoon baseball.
We didn't have time to post this catch before the game ended, but you need it on your timeline again. pic.twitter.com/VgkOLdn1eM
— New York Mets (@Mets) April 18, 2023
Before Tuesday night, the Mets opened up their West Coast road trip with four consecutive wins. Add a home win over the San Diego Padres before that, and it's a five-game winning streak for Flushing's team. A pair of three-run innings were instrumental in keeping the streak alive on Monday, a night where the Mets' starter wasn't sharp.
The bullpen behind David Peterson was excellent though, tossing 3.0 shutout innings. Even without All-Star closer Edwin Diaz, who is supposed to be out for the season, the Mets' relievers own a 3.32 ERA and have picked up six saves. They had also stranded 83.3% of runners after Monday night, third in the league.
It may not matter how they perform with Max Scherzer on the mound. The future Hall of Famer has a 2.63 ERA in his former home, Dodger Stadium, over 14 career starts. His first two starts this season weren't his finest, but his lates t outing saw Scherzer allow only one hit in 5.0 innings. He allowed no runs and three walks while striking out six batters.
All he needs is some run support, and the Mets have been good for that this year. After Monday the Mets were top-10 in runs scored despite being bottom-10 in batting average and slugging percentage. That's because they have the highest walk rate in the league, the second-lowest strikeout rate, and the fourth-most steals (while only getting caught twice). With current league HR leader Pete Alonso in the middle of the lineup, the Mets are hard to pitch around.