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The Mets’ aggressive bullpen strategy pays off against dangerous Dodgers
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The Mets’ aggressive bullpen strategy pays off against dangerous Dodgers

Pushed to the edge, the Mets pushed their best relievers to the edge.

On a night when David Peterson contributed the best 3 ²/₃-inning, two-run effort the Mets have ever seen, they were tasked with putting together the next 5 ¹/₃ innings.

They survived — an appropriate word for the NLCS Game 5 victory — by asking for multiple innings from Edwin Diaz and a marathon from Ryne Stanek in a 12-6 victory over the Dodgers at Citi Field.

The Mets, who led by eight runs after four innings, played the elimination game like there would be no tomorrow, even if the score was lopsided, because of the strength of the Dodgers bats.

Ryne Stanek celebrates after hitting the final out of the seventh inning in Game 5 of the NLCS on October 18, 2024. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

The mission, to bring the series back to Los Angeles at all costs, was accomplished.

“These guys are nails, man,” Jesse Winker said. ‘They’re ready. They are ready to come in and go out, and they are savages.”

The first wild one was Reed Garrett, who did well to escape a bases-loaded two-out jam that Peterson gave him by striking out Freddie Freeman, but he was hit in the next inning.

A plunking and a walk brought up Andy Pages, who hit his second homer of the game to put the Dodgers up 10-5.

Manager Carlos Mendoza essentially had two, heavy-armed relievers he trusted for the final 13 outs, so he asked for two, big-armed relievers for 13 outs.

Edwin Diaz pitched the final two innings for the Mets. Getty Images

“Today was the day we had to go for it,” Diaz said of himself and Stanek. “He was ready. I was talking to him in the bullpen and he told me, ‘I’ll be ready to go six outs, seven outs, nine outs, if they need me.’ ”

They needed him.

Stanek came in and struckout Shohei Ohtani.

He returned for the sixth inning and surrendered a solo shot to Mookie Betts, but that was it.

For the first time, Stanek said, since his rookie season in 2017, he was asked for a third “up” – a third frame of work.


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“Right now it’s just a situation where you’re trying to empty the tank and get them,” said Stanek, a power righty who recorded seven putouts for the first time in a Major League game.

He pitched a clean seventh inning and clapped his glove when Gavin Lux popped up for the final out on his 31st pitch of the night.

His job was done, it was Diaz’s turn to push himself to the limit.

In a game the Mets won by five points, Mendoza asked for six outs from Diaz — a length he reached only twice in the regular season and now once in the postseason — starting in the eighth.

Ryne Stanek pitched 2 1/3 innings. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

In the 1-2-3 frame, he shot through Shohei Ohtani, who swung through an elevated fastball.

Diaz was efficient in the ninth, allowing just an infield single to Tommy Edman and needing just 23 pitches to record his six outs.

The Mets were able to exhale and their most trusted arms in the bullpen were able to seek treatment.

When asked how he felt physically, Stanek laughed.

“Great,” he managed. “We won, so it’s great.”