Mets survive frantic Dodgers rally late to open series with thrilling 10-inning win
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.LOS ANGELES — The Mets resumed the big boy portion of the schedule Monday night to the same success they had enjoyed on the last home stand.No, these weren’t the White Sox and Rockies.
These were the defending World Series champion Dodgers (who had already lost a series at Citi Field just over a week ago) and the Mets were up for the challenge on the road.Mostly, it was manager Carlos Mendoza’s pitchers who responded — with late help from the lineup — in a 4-3 victory in 10 innings at Dodger Stadium that extended the Mets’ winning streak to four games.After Edwin Díaz, working for the third time in four days, blew the save by allowing a run in the ninth, the Mets rebounded against lefty fireballer Tanner Scott in the 10th inning.Francisco Alvarez delivered a go-ahead double, scoring the automatic runner, before Francisco Lindor’s RBI single extended the lead.Jose Castillo surrendered a run in the bottom of the 10th before José Buttó got the final two outs, with the tying run in scoring position and winning run at first.Díaz, who hadn’t allowed an earned run in his previous 13 appearances dating to April 23, stumbled in the ninth, allowing singles to Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim before Shohei Ohtani’s sacrifice fly tied it 2-2.For the Mets it was a third victory in four games against the Dodgers, sandwiched around a 5-1 stretch against simply awful White Sox and Rockies teams.In his first appearance for the Mets since last August, veteran Paul Blackburn delivered five shutout innings in which he allowed three hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
Some of Blackburn’s best work came against Ohtani, who went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts against the right-hander.Blackburn was removed at 77 pitches after retiring Ohtani for the final out in the fifth with the tying runs on base.Huascar Brazobán, Max Kranick...