Remembering Mets History (2015) NLCS Game #1: The Dark Knight Shines as Murph, Travis & the Grandy Man Provide the Offense

Saturday October 17th, 2015: NLCS Game #1- Citi Field

They were both looked at as the two young teams that were possibly a year away from a pennant. The Mets had the young pitching, The Cubs had the young hitting. 

Both teams caught fire as the season went on, for both teams the future was now as they faced off in the NLCS. 

A crowd of 44,287 came out to a chilly 45-degree night at Citi Field in Queens, New York. Mets legend Keith Hernandez threw out the ceremonial first pitch & actress/singer Kristen Chenoweth sang the National Anthem. And it was on to the start of the Mets eighth NLCS series in team history. The first home NLCS game since 2000.

In Game #1 the Mets Terry Collins sent "the Dark Knight" Matt Harvey to the mound (13-8/ 2.71 ERA / 188 Ks) in the biggest game of his young career. 

Harvey was the winning pitcher in the NLDS Game #3 giving up three runs (two earned) on seven hits to the Dodgers at Citi Field. 

The visiting Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon sent veteran Jon Lester (11-12 / 3.34 ERA / 207 Ks) to the mound. Lester was the NLDS Game #1 losing pitcher giving up three runs on five hits in 7.1 innings at St. Louis.

The Two managers have a great history together, back in 1997 Collins gave Maddon one of his first coaching jobs, when he was skipper of the Angels. The two formed a friendship that continued & Maddon considered Collins a mentor.

Murph HRs in 3 Straight Post Season Games: In the 1st, once again it was that man- Daniel Murphy, blasting a solo shot off Jon Lester. Murph became the first Mets hitter, since Donn Clendenon in the 1969 World Series, to hit HRs in three straight post season games.

Harvey started out the 1st inning, striking out Dexter Fowler & Kyle Schwarber. He retired the first 12 batters in a row, collecting six strike outs thru the first four innings.

In the top of the 5th, the Cubs tied the game, as Harvey stared the inning hitting Anthony Rizzo with a pitch. Then Starlin Castro hit a long fly ball over Juan Lagares' head for an RBI double scoring Rizzo. 

With one out, Javier Baez singled to left field, Starlin Castro tested Yoenis Cespedes' arm trying to score. Cespedes thew him out at home plate as Travis d'Arnaud made the tag. The score remained 1-1.

But the Mets came right back, with one out Wilmer Flores & Juan Lagares both singled. Matt Harvey's unsuccessful sacrifice bunt got Flores out at third.  

But then "the Grandy Man" Curtis Granderson lined a single to centerfield, scoring Lagares with one of his two runs scores on the night.

In the bottom of the 6th, facing Jon Lester, Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud launched a long HR to dead centerfield bouncing off the HR Apple. It was right on cue the Apple rose & Citi Faithful roared with the Mets up 3-1.

For Travis it was his second HR & Fifth RBI of the post season, as he had hit a two run HR off the Dodgers Brett Anderson in NLDS Game #3.

In the bottom of the 7th, with Lester still pitching Juan Lagares led off with a base hit to left field. He advanced o Matt Harvey's sacrifice. 

Juan Lagares, then stole third BASE. It was the Mets second stolen base of the night, for a team that stole the least bases in the NL during the regular season.

Curtis Granderson "the Grandy Man" came through once again hitting a sac fly to left field scoring Lagares giving the Mets a 4-1 lead.

Trivia: Granderson was an incredible 89%, at bringing home a runner from third base with less than two outs. He now had seven hits & seven RBI's in the 2015 post season thru six games.

In the top of the 8th, Harvey recorded the first two outs, then served up a solo HR to Kyle Schwarber. Terry Collins came to remove Harvey & he exited to a standing ovation from the Citi Field crowd.

The Dark Knight Shines in the Spotlight: Tonight, Matt Harvey proved he was a big game pitcher everyone thought he was. Tonight, he cleared up any doubt or any animosity any Mets fan had against him after the whole 180 inning fiasco. Matt Harvey stepped up in the national spotlight & gave a big-time post-season performance.

It was his longest outing since August 11th of that season, as he pitched 7.2 innings, allowing two runs on four hits. walking two & striking out nine. 

Earlier in the 6th, he had taken a Kyle Schwarber line drive off his shoulder, picked it up & threw him out at first. At bat, he was 0-2 with a successful sacrifice bunt. It was quite an evening for the Dark Knight.

Trivia: Matt Harvey earned the victory to go 2-0 in the post season. He was now 23-1 when the Mets scored four runs or more for him

Jeurys Familia got the four save out, the game ending fittingly on a sparkling play at second from Daniel Murphy.

Trivia: In the top of the 9th, Familia gave up a two out single to Miguel Montero, the first hit he allowed in the post season.

The Mets won Game #1 by the score of 4-2, taking a one game series lead.