Rookie Mark Vientos made his mark, delivering a crucial grand slam when the Dodgers took the gamble, reshaping the momentum in Game 2.
The Mets took an early 6-0 lead, thanks in part to Mark Vientos’ grand slam in the second inning. Before that, the Dodgers had made the call to intentionally walk Francisco Lindor, who was up with two outs and runners on second and third, hoping to face Vientos instead.
That decision didn’t play out in their favor.
After getting crushed in Game 1 by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Mets came back strong. Their comeback was coupled with a 7-3 win in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday afternoon.
Mark Vientos had already proven himself throughout the regular season and the first two playoff rounds, boasting an impressive 1.037 OPS in his first eight games. This included a clutch game-tying home run in the ninth inning of Game 2 in the NLDS against Philadelphia.
This time, he found extra motivation when Lindor, who had already homered to start the game, was intentionally walked to load the bases.
“I took it personal,” Vientos said, as he launched a homer over the right-center fence on the ninth pitch of his at-bat against Landon Knack.
“I want to be up there during that at-bat for sure. Want them to walk Lindor in that situation, put me up there. And at that point I was just, ‘Let me simplify the game, get one run in. Get a walk.’ Luckily I hit a bomb there and it went over the fence.”
The Mets gladly embraced Mark Vientos’ big hit, especially after struggling with only three hits in their 9-0 loss the day before.
“I hit a bomb,” Vientos repeated.
It was the first of his career.
And it gave the Mets their first win in the National League Championship Series, a 7-3 triumph over the Dodgers, leaving a packed crowd of 52,926 at Dodger Stadium in disbelief.
They were 11 games under .500 in early June. The Mets didn’t secure their playoff spot until Lindor’s game-winning homer on the final day of the season. They were down 2-0 in the ninth inning of their wild-card series against the Brewers when Pete Alonso came through with a three-run, game-winning homer.
In Game 1 of this series, a Dodgers pitching staff battered them, tying a major league record with 33 consecutive shutout innings.
“We’ve done that the whole year,” Mendoza said. “We get punched in the face, and we continue to find ways to get back up.
“And it will continue to be that way.”
READ MORE: When and where to watch Dodgers vs. Mets NLCS Game 2
Image Credit: © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
MLB 
