There are holes and then there are craters the size of Chavez Ravine, better known as Dodger Stadium.

For the Mets, a measure of success would be bringing this NLCS back to Los Angeles — something that seemed like a safe bet after leaving Southern California earlier this week with the series tied, but following Thursday’s 10-2 loss in Game 4 at Citi Field doesn’t seem so sure.

For the Mets, trailing 3-1 in the series, the mission is clear: Win three straight games against the Dodgers, starting with Friday’s Game 5 in Queens, or start planning for spring training.

Even with Freddie Freeman (ankle) on the bench, this high-powered Dodgers lineup tormented the Mets for the third time in four games. And while the Mets weren’t shut out by a loss for the first time in this series, their lineup didn’t produce nearly enough thunder.

Exhibit A was the sixth inning, when the Mets loaded the bases with nobody out against reliever Evan Phillips and didn’t score — pinch-hitter Jesse Winker’s long drive to right raised hope, but only for a split second.

The Mets finished 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. In the four games, 4-for-29 (.138) was played in that category. The Dodgers have defeated the Mets 30-9 in the series.

In his first real clunker in nearly two months, Jose Quintana lasted just 3 ¹/₃ innings, allowing five earned runs on five hits with four walks and two strikeouts. The veteran left-hander pitched 11 innings over two previous starts this postseason without surrendering an earned run.

Shohei Ohtani launched Quintana’s second pitch of the game over the right-field fence for his second homer in as many days. This explosion caused Ohtani’s bat to reach 120 mph (197.8 km/h), giving him three home runs this postseason.

Mark Vientos’ rocket against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the bottom half of the inning made it 1-1. It was the fourth home run this postseason for Vientos, whose grand slam in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium lifted the Mets to victory. Vientos’ 12 RBIs tied the franchise record for a postseason held by Curtis Granderson (2015) and John Olerud (1999).

Quintana’s night turned south in the third. Tommy Edman hit an RBI double and Enrique Hernandez’s ensuing infield single gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead. Ohtani walked with one out to start the rally and Mookie Betts’ ensuing single put more pressure on Quintana.

Brandon Nimmo’s hustle helped the Mets get a run back in the bottom of the inning. Nimmo, who is dealing with plantar fasciitis in his left foot, beat the relay on a double play grounder after the Mets loaded the bases with one out. Francisco Alvarez and Francisco Lindor singled back-to-back to start the rally before Pete Alonso walked.

Chris Taylor singled and Ohtani walked to start another Dodgers rally in the fourth. Jose Butto replaced Quintana and was greeted by a Betts double that extended the Dodgers’ lead to 5-2.

Yamamoto was removed in the fifth after sacking Alvarez and striking out Lindor. The right-hander allowed two earned runs on four hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in 4 ¹/₃ innings.

Max Muncy walked in each of his first three at-bats and then singled to extend his streak to 12 in a row, an MLB postseason record.

Betts homered against Phil Maton in the sixth to bury the Mets in a 7-2 hole. Ohtani’s third straight walk ended Butto’s outing before Betts cleared the left-field fence against Maton.

Jose Iglesias, pinch-hitter Jeff McNeil and Winker were retired in succession without scoring a run after the Mets loaded the bases with no one out in the sixth.

Lindor and Nimmo singled in the seventh, but Starling Marte was eliminated by Blake Treinen to end the rally.

Edman’s two-run double in the eighth and Will Smith’s RBI single buried the Mets in a 10-2 hole.