Mets embrace 'opportunity to do something special' as NLCS against Dodgers reaches Game 6

Out in the hallway after his news conference, Carlos Mendoza was replaying in his mind not just another do-or-die display of resilience by his Mets ballclub but specifically the long and winding road that he had to navigate to get 16 outs from a bullpen mostly on fumes.

“When (David) Peterson came out,” Mendoza told me, “I was thinking, ‘How am I going to get this done?’ I had an idea, but I really wasn’t sure.”

By then, the offense had exploded for 10 runs and a 10-2 lead in the fourth inning. But soon enough, Reed Garrett gave up a three-run home run in the fifth. And here came the big, bad Los Angeles Dodgers once again.

So In came Ryne Stanek, whose late-season renaissance had earned him the primary setup role in front of Edwin Diaz -- otherwise known as the eighth inning.

Yet here he was, entering to relieve Garrett in the fifth.

“I felt like I had to use him there,” Mendoza said, “and see how long he could go. I didn’t expect three ups. He’s never done that. He was the key to the game.”

Three ups, of course, is baseball speak for working in three different innings -- something that was common for Goose Gossage, but is now akin to a UFO sighting for late-inning relievers in this era.

“This time of year you’ve got to be ready for anything,” Stanek said afterward with a smile. “I was ready.”

He got the last out in the fifth, then three more in each of the sixth and seventh innings, handing off the game to Diaz for the last six outs of the 12-6 win that staved off elimination and sends this NLCS back to Los Angeles for Game 6 on Sunday.

Yep, these Mets did it again, showing the toughness that has made them tougher to kill off this season and postseason than Freddy Krueger in a horror film.

As such, the Mets’ clubhouse was buzzing with renewed optimism that they can pull off still another miracle and come back from being down 3-1 to win the series.

“If anybody can do it, we can,” a smiling Brandon Nimmo said at his locker. “We’re at our best in these situations. You just learn not to panic after everything we’ve been through.”

It still feels like a huge hill to climb for these Mets, needing to win two games in LA, against a relentless Dodgers offense and what will be the best of their bullpen after Dave Roberts elected not to chase a win from behind with his top relievers on Friday.

Yet the Mets will have their ace, Sean Manaea, pitching in Game 6 on full rest, hoping that he can shut the Dodgers down as he did in Game 2.

And there is reason to believe in the Mets’ offense again, after they exploded for 14 hits, including a three-run home run by Pete Alonso in the first inning off Jack Flaherty that set the tone for the day.

After all, Francisco Alvarez is out of his slump, with three hits in Game 6, while Starling Marte looks dangerous after a four-hit day.

Then there is Jesse Winker, swinging the bat well and undoubtedly taking over the DH spot for the rest of this series, as well as Jeff McNeil, who had some good at-bats in his first start back from his broken wrist, delivering two meaningful sacrifice flies, and figures to be in the lineup somewhere for Game 6.

Indeed, it was the Mets -- not the Dodgers -- who were relentless on Friday, piling it on early to the point where the crowd was not only erupting in delight but got to sing “My Girl” four times in the first four innings, as Francisco Lindor was up so often, and that didn’t count the pregame sing-along with The Temptations.

Yes, the vibe was back at Citi Field after a couple of rough losses. And while the offense mostly carried the day, you could feel the tension, even fear in the ballpark, as the Dodgers closed the gap from 10-2 to 10-6, with every fan understanding how fragile the bullpen is these days.

Someone had to shut the LA lineup down, and Stanek proved to be the man for the job. He allowed only a Mookie Betts home run while getting those seven outs, and giving his own offense time to add on a couple of more runs.

“I was ready to do whatever it took to get the job done for the boys,” Stanek said.

To which his bullpen partner and fellow teammate from their Houston Astros’ days, Phil Maton, smiled and said he wasn’t surprised.

“I’m really proud of him because that’s leaving it all out there,” said Maton, “but he’s a guy really rides the adrenaline and the energy in the crowd, and he did that today.”

Had Stanek faltered, it would have been trouble. Mendoza said he wasn’t going to use Kodai Senga in such a situation except as a last resort, and he wasn’t going to push Diaz beyond six outs.

“I was just hoping Stanek could keep going,” the manager said. “What an effort.”

Diaz looked strong as well in getting the last six outs, throwing only 23 pitches, and Mendoza said he’s sure he’ll have Diaz available on Sunday.

“I don’t know about Stanek,” Mendoza said. “That was a lot.”

Stanek, meanwhile, said he’d be ready and spoke as if he’s convinced the Mets have the Dodgers right where they want them.

“We haven’t done anything easy, so we might as well do it this way now,” Stanek said. “It’s an opportunity to do something special. Why stop now?”

That pretty much summed up his day as well: a crucial piece of still another remarkable bounce-back win for the team that just won’t die.