The New York Mets can punch their ticket to the World Series on Wednesday night. Their Game 3 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night gave them a 3-0 lead in the NLCS, making them the hottest team in the 2015 MLB playoffs.
It was another admirable start from Jacob deGrom and another home run from Daniel Murphy that propelled the Mets yet again. deGrom allowed just two earned runs on four hits and a walk over seven innings and Murphy went 2-for-5 with an RBI.
Murphy homered in his fifth straight postseason game, which ties an MLB record.
"I've watched a lot of baseball over the years. I don't think I've seen anybody put on this kind of a show on this stage like he has so far," Mets manager Terry Collins told The Associated Press. "I mean, even the guys in the dugout, they're baseball guys too, and they're saying the same thing."
But Murphy wasn't alone this time. Fellow sluggers David Wright (2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI) and Yoenis Cespedes (3-for-5 with a run scored and two RBIs) provided the necessary offensive production to push the Mets past the Cubs by a score of 5-2.
Cubs' starter Kyle Hendricks allowed two earned runs on five hits and a walk while relievers Trevor Cahill (1 IP, 1 ER, 2 H) and Travis Wood (2/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H) failed to keep the game tied after Hendricks was taken out. Chicago's pitchers allowed five runs on 11 hits and three walks on the night.
On the other hand, the combination of deGrom, Tyler Clippard and Jeurys Familia surrendered just two runs on five hits and a walk. Familia recorded his third save of the postseason after retiring Anthony Rizzo, Starlin Castro and Jorge Soler in order.
Despite home runs from rookies Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler, the Cubs' offense couldn't get anything going. They'll have one last chance tonight at 8:07 p.m. ET when they send Jason Hammel to the mound to face Mets' left-hander Steven Matz in what could be the game that determines who will represent the National League in the World Series.
