All good things come to an end – and in this case it’s the Los Angeles Dodgers and their dreams of a World Series Championship. On Thursday, Daniel Murphy broke a tie with a sixth-inning solo home run as the New York Mets defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-2, in the decisive fifth game of their National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium.
Murphy also scored the tying run in the fourth, taking advantage of a defensive lapse by the Dodgers, and drove in New York’s first run.
Murphy led off the fourth with a single, Lucas Duda walked one out later and Murphy advanced to third, which was uncovered because of a defensive shift.
Murphy scored on former Lakewood High School standout Travis d’Amaud’s sacrifice fly.
Jacob deGrom allowed two runs and six hits over six innings for the victory, striking out seven and walking three. Rookie Noah Syndergaard pitched a shutout seventh inning in his first major league relief appearance.
Closer Jeurys Familia retired all six batters he faced for his second save of the series, striking out A.J. Ellis and Howie Kendrick to end the game.
The win puts the Mets into the National League Championship Series for the first time since 2006. The best-of-seven series against the Chicago Cubs will begin Saturday at Citi Field.
Zack Greinke was charged with the loss, allowing three runs and six hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out nine and walking one. He had won each of his previous seven decisions, including Game 2 on Saturday.
New York opened the scoring in the first. Curtis Granderson led off with an infield single on a play the original out call was overturned on video review. He scored on Murphy’s one-out double.
The Dodgers scored twice in their half of the first on consecutive singles by Corey Seager, Adrian Gonzalez, Justin Turner and Andre Ethier.
This is the first time the Dodgers have lost a “winner-take-all” game since moving to Los Angeles for the 1958 season after winning the 1965 World Series, the division series and championship series in 1981 and National League Championship Series in 1988.
The Dodgers have failed to win a National League pennant for 27 consecutive years, extending their team record.
