Dustin May throws solid outing but Mets take series opener in extras against Dodgers

LOS ANGELES -- Dustin May had a solid outing tonight for the Los Angeles Dodgers, throwing six innings for the first time this season, allowing two runs on six hits and fanned five Mets, but with the offense only hitting an abysmal 2/11 with runners in scoring position, New York held their own to take the series opener in extras by a final of 4-3. Mets starter Paul Blackburn, who was pitching in his first major league game in nine months, blanked the defending World Series champs for five innings in what is to be considered an emotional and satisfying comeback for the 31-year-old. 

The Mets caused a minor blip to begin May's start as Francisco Lindor led off the game with his 14th long ball of the season, but the right-hander quickly settled in. New York wouldn't score until the top half of the fifth after a Brandon Nimmo RBI ground-rule double drove in Jeff McNeil from second to make it a 2-0 lead. 

The Dodgers did not cash in their first runs of the game until the bottom of the seventh as Shohei Ohtani crushed a no-doubt solo shot, his 23rd of the season, on a breaking pitch that landed in the visitors' bullpen to cut the lead by one. 

Los Angeles would begin a rally in the bottom of the ninth that started with a Tommy Edman base hit, and Hyeseong Kim would follow him later in the inning with a base knock of his own. With runners on the corners and one out, up came Ohtani, who crushed a ball heading towards left field, which died just short of a walk-off home run, and he had to settle for a game-tying sacrifice fly. 

As the game entered the 10th inning, the Mets quickly took advantage of the struggling closer Tanner Scott, who gave up a lead-off double to Francisco Alverez, pushing New York ahead 3-2. Lindor then followed with his second RBI, giving the Mets a steady lead of 4-2 heading into the bottom of the tenth. 

Freddie Freeman began the tenth with a leadoff walk, which was quickly followed by an RBI single by Andy Pages, to cut the lead to 4-3. Pages is now hitting .396, 21-for-53, with runners in scoring position after his 10th-inning RBI single. Unfortunately, this comeback attempt would fall short for Los Angeles as Tommy Edman would ground out and conclude the game in extras. 

The Dodgers have lost two in a row and look to be back in the win column tomorrow as Clayton Kershaw takes the mound for Los Angeles and Tylor Megill takes his turn on the bump for the Mets.