Mark Vientos blew the Dodgers away

The Dodgers' pitching beast, which had looked so invulnerable in the final two games of its series with the Padres and in its first nine innings against the Mets, suddenly fell at the start of NLCS Game 2. Such are the dynamic swings of the postseason, and That's the damage that second-year third baseman Mark Vientos can do when he catches a ball from the batter's box.

After a dismal 9-0 loss on Sunday night, it was Mr. Smile himself, Francisco Lindor, who gave the Mets a boost with a kickoff to right against Dodgers opener Ryan Brasier. That long ball not only broke LA's long scoreless streak, but also set up the ballgame's defining moment as Landon Knack struggled through the second inning. Knack got a few outs but also allowed a single, a walk and an RBI double and was ready to face Lindor with men on second and third with the score already 2-0. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pointed out to his man the right strategic decision by sending Lindor to first with an imaginary quartet of balls. But the decision to face the next guy in line ahead of Lindor only further heated up the Mets' two-spot hitter, who is no slouch himself.

Vientos is a hyped prospect who really exploded in the major leagues as a 24-year-old after a disappointing first impression. He shone with 27 big balls in just 111 games and proved to be the team's second most important hitter after Lindor. They made their attack in the second half. However, he is an aggressive hitter whose powerful swing can also produce a lot of strikes, and compared to the veteran Lindor's skill, Knack wouldn't have been able to eliminate his chances of getting an out.

But after an 0-for-5 start to the series with three Ks, Vientos threw himself into a grueling at-bat that wore Knack down until it delivered exactly the kind of cheese the hitter was looking for. Vientos struggled almost exclusively with Knack's slider, watching a ball, fouling three times in a row, then alternating balls with fouls until he reached the ninth pitch of the AB. This one was right in the middle, without any movement, and Vientos was ready to face it. Without swinging too far, he lifted it low to the right center where it flew further and further until it cleared the fence.

The Mets bullpen would keep it interesting until the end. (It's truly humbling how much of my happiness right now depends on Ryne Stanek throwing strikes.) But that grand slam made the difference in a 7-3 final that sent the series back to New York in a tie. all.

The intentional route to Lindor was a somewhat sensible strategy by the Dodgers, even if Vientos “took it personally,” but it marked the continuation of a trend that ESPN has pointed out: The last three playoff grand slams after a targeted free pass Anything Goes at the expense of Dave Roberts' boys. There was Miguel Montero when the eventual champion Cubs won Game 1 of the NLCS in 2016, Howie Kendrick for the eventual champion Nats in the 10th inning of an NLDS Game 5, and now Mark Vientos in 2024 for the Mets, the outcome of which is still unknown is given. No one had more practice getting burned in big moments than the Dodgers.