The New York Mets crushed the Chicago Cubs' hopes of joining the World Series on Wednesday after finishing the NLCS Game 4 with a 8-3 win. New York swept the best-of-seven series in the first four games, making sure that a Game 5 will not be neccessary.
Because of their recent victory, which earned them their fifth NL pennant, the Mets will be moving on to the World Series for the first time in 15 years. The team won the pennant in 1969, 1973, 1986 and most recently in 2000. It won the World Series twice, back in 1969 and 1986.
The Mets clinched the win by having an offensive start. First baseman Lucas Duda became the star of the day with 5 R.B.I. They came on a three-run homer in the first. He then followed it up with a two-run double in the second to give his team a 6-0 lead.
During the eighth, Daniel Murphy set a major league record with a home run in his sixth consecutive postseason game. According to Bleacher Report, this one was "off Fernando Rodney and scored David Wright, who had walked after Rodney started the inning with two strikeouts."
Alhough the Mets infielder only had 14 home runs in the regular season, he now has half of that number in the playoffs. Due to his impressive performance, he was later named as the NLCS'Most Valuable Player.
The New York Met's fourth win has somehow been expected after putting Chicago in a 3-0 hole in the first three games of the NLCS. Daniel Murphy also led the Mets' charge at the plate then, helping his team grab three wins and march toward their goal of heading to the World Series.
The team will start the Fall Classic with a rested pitching rotation, meaning the ALCS winner will need to go through pitchers Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, and Matt Harvey in the first three games. It was earlier reported that Harvey might not be available The pitcher was hit by a 96 mph line drive last Saturday night during his start on Game 1 start. He stayed in the game but experienced swelling and soreness, serious enough that Mets manager Tyler Collins expressed his concern about the player on Monday.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon, who was hopeful before Game 4 began, later on acknowledged his opponents' well-deserved victory. "That was a pretty impressive four games they played against us. They didn't give us -- they did not let us up for air at any point. Their domination of the early part of the game and their pitching was impressive. They played well, they didn't make mistakes. So it's not so much to be disappointed in our performance. They were just that good for four days, man. I've got to give them credit," Maddon explained.
The New York Mets now have five days to prepare rest prior to Game 1 of the World Series. They will be facing the winner of the ALCS Game 6, which will either the Kansas City Royals or the Toronto Blue Jays. Kansas City will be hosting the Jays for Game 6 on Friday.
