The Alonso-ignited Mets stay alive and beat the Dodgers in NLCS Game 5

NEW YORK – Pete Alonso’s improbable home run set the tone for the evening.

The Mets first baseman hit a slider from the Dodgers’ Jack Flaherty at his feet into deep center field in the first inning, a three-run, 432-foot shot that ultimately propelled New York’s offense to a 12-6 season. game-winning victory in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series on Friday.

The home run was less of a pitching error and more of a hitting miracle.

Alonso made contact on a pitch that was 1.12 feet above the ground, the second-lowest ball hit by a postseason home run in the pitch-tracking era (2008-present).

“I was just looking for something over the middle of the bat,” Alonso said when asked to explain how he got the barrel of the bat onto Flaherty’s pitch. “I didn’t really realize how deep the pitch was. I got caught a little in front.

The home run sparked an incredible night for the Mets’ offense, one in which there was not a strikeout by a New York batter. It was the first time a team was not eliminated in a postseason game since the Los Angeles Angels lost to the San Francisco Giants in the 2002 World Series.

“We didn’t strike out?” said outfielder Jesse Winker when informed of the success. “We didn’t strike? Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a game like that. That’s great. We just have to keep doing that.”

The turnaround against Flaherty was striking. He shut out the Mets over seven innings in a Game 1 win, but lasted just three innings in Game 5, allowing eight runs, eight hits and four walks.

“We didn’t track his secondary pitches,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We know he’s got that slider and the ankle curve and he’s going to try to give us a run for his money and we didn’t do that today. And when he got into the zone with his fastball, we were ready, and that’s the key.” “

After the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced that Flaherty was not feeling well.

“He clearly wasn’t sharp,” Roberts said. “He was fighting something. He was a little under the weather. So I don’t know if it has anything to do with the speed.”

Flaherty averaged 91.4 mph with his fastball in Game 5, compared to 92.6 mph in Game 1. His regular season average was 93.3 mph.

After the loss, the veteran right-hander didn’t comment on how he felt during the game, but explained his struggles this way: “For the first time in a long time, I felt like I let the game speed up a little bit and I didn’t make the adjustments Game made.

Roberts could have pulled him sooner, but knowing his team had a cushion in the series, he left him in while the Mets built a big lead.

As much as Flaherty struggled, credit goes to the Mets, who had 14 hits, including four from Starling Marte and three from Francisco Alvarez.

“When it comes to hitting, at that point you just have to rely on capitalizing on the pitcher’s mistakes,” Marte said. “And luckily I managed to get the results.”

Even though the Dodgers didn’t play quietly, the 43,841 fans at Citi Field saw the Mets respond every time.

Dodgers No. 9 batter Andy Pages hit two home runs and Mookie Betts’ blast in the sixth inning cut the deficit to 10-6, but Jeff McNeil’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth and Marte’s RBI single in the eighth inning gave New York its margin of victory.

“It was just an incredible execution,” Alonso said. “That’s what matters. What I found most impressive about it was that every time they scored a goal, we had an answer.”

That execution was something shortstop Francisco Lindor implored his team to do after the loss in Game 4, when the Mets were down 12 points and went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position. On Friday, New York was 5-for-19 with runners in scoring position.

Lindor was asked what he liked most about the difference between the two games.

“The quality of attacks we had,” he said. “The intensity with which we competed. We knew it was a matter of life and death and we had to give it our all. And that’s what we did.”

That urgency was evident in the way Mendoza used his bullpen, as Ryne Stanek went 2⅓ innings, his longest stint of the season, and Edwin Diaz struck out the last two pitches.

“You know you have to go [longer]“So you try to hold back a little bit and stay as consistent as possible and let it flow,” Stanek said of the extended stint. “I enjoyed it.”

The win sends the series back to Los Angeles for Game 6 on Sunday. On paper, the Mets have the first pitching edge, as Sean Manaea will get the ball on five days’ rest; The Dodgers have a bullpen game scheduled.

“We had our backs against the wall all season,” Mets designated hitter JD Martinez said. “Why should this be any different?”