Miracle Mets Defeat Phillies In Comeback Win Led By Francisco Lindor That Sends Them To NLCS!!!!
For the first time in Citi Field history, the New York Mets are able to celebrate a playoff series win at home. All it took was a gutsy start by Jose Quintana, redemption for Edwin Diaz, a blown call by the first base umpire and a MOTHER FUCKING GRAND SLAM BY FRANCISCO LINDOR!!!!
If you are a fan of a perennially bad sports team, you get it. You understand why even yesterday's 7-2 lead never quite felt safe. It almost feels more comfortable when everything is going wrong. The Phillies had two runners on in the 9th with Kyle Schwarber up and there's a big piece of you that thinks about who is up in the bottom in the 9th. Your gut tells you that Schwarber is just going to nuke that ball into the 3rd deck.
But just because something used to be doesn't mean it always will be.
The Phillies have, in my opinion, the best roster in baseball. Yes, the Mets won this series 3 games to 1 but it was so much closer than that. The closest comparison I can give is the 1986 NLCS which the Mets did win in 6 games. The similarity was both the '86 Astros and '24 Phillies had boogeymen waiting in those decisive games. Cy Young winner Mike Scott would have pitched Game 7 and in this series, Zack Wheeler was waiting in the wings in Game 5...which would have been in Philadelphia.
The Mets who have spent so much of their history losing games they had to win, won the game they had to. Just like in 1986. Unlike in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2022.
This is the 9th time the Mets have made it to the NLCS. This is a huge deal for the team, fan base and ownership. It's a very likable team that transcends just hardcore fans. This is the kind of Mets team that can make the whole city fall in love with them.
As with these teams, there are so many heroes. Mark Vientos became a known power hitter in baseball with monster home runs. Sean Manaea gave the Mets 7 innings when the bullpen was in shambles. Just today, Jose Quintana didn't allow an earned run. David Peterson got 7 huge outs in relief. And of course, Lindor.
Actually, let's see that grand slam again.
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If I was a Phillies fan, I'd be more pissed off than sad after that game. Ranger Suarez did an amazing job somehow dancing through raindrops. He left runner after runner on base. The Phillies had a 1-0 lead until the 6th inning. Lindor's grand slam will be remembered as the moment the game broke open but I don't know if that's entirely true.
I'll answer the question for you FOX. That was a fair ball by Alec Bohm. It wasn't even that close. That would have put runners on the corners and had JT Realmuto up as the tying run. Instead, it was called foul and Bohm grounded out too short. It's one thing to lose but you expect MLB to have the best umpires on the field in the most important games. The Mets earned the win for sure but Phillies fans also have every right to gripe about this.
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Being in the gambling cave watching these games with the guys has been fantastic. We get called the aliens and probably for good reason. But everyone in that room rooting for the Mets LOVES the Mets. If you are reading this and root for a historically lousy team, you have to LOVE that team. It's a feeling Yankees, Lakers and Patriots fans don't understand.
The Mets now look towards Sunday against either the Padres or Dodgers. But tonight, I'm watching that grand slam by Lindor on repeat. Have you guys seen this yet? It's really cool.
LGM!