[jg2977]

Ahhh… hellooo again, everybody.
The Schmooze — back with ya — after Game 1 of the League Championship Series, where your New York Metropolitans — yes, those Mets — take care of business at Citi Field, six to one over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
And lemme tell ya, the Dodgers came in here, they scored a run in the first inning… and that was it, folks. That was the whole show. One run, and then the Mets said, “Thank you, drive safely.”
Jose Rojas — seven innings, one run, no walks, five strikeouts — cool as a cucumber, folks. The guy looked like he was mowing his lawn out there. I mean, efficient, unbothered, just getting it done.
Then, how about Ricardo Contreras? Two-out, two-run double in the sixth, and boom — Mets take the lead and never look back. The guy said, quote, “I’m just looking to see the ball, hit the ball.”
Yeah, well Ricardo, that’s the idea. And tonight — ya saw it, ya hit it, ya won the game.
Then in the eighth — oh, baby — Alan Sloan. The three-run homer that put the game on ice. Goodnight everybody. Dodgers bullpen? T. Wicker, thanks for playing. ERA after that inning? 40.50. That’s not a number, that’s a GPS coordinate.
Now, let’s talk Dodgers. Donny van Meel — decent early, then poof! Gone. Seven strikeouts, three runs, and his face looked like someone told him Citi Field ran out of gluten-free pretzels.
The Mets offense? Balanced. Nine hits, six runs, everybody doing a little something. Brubaker gets on base, Sloan with the big swing, Contreras driving them in, and my guy J. Stacks — two hits, scored a run, doubled late — he’s turning into the scrappy, gritty Met that WFAN callers will pretend they always believed in.
And the bullpen? E. Hoelzle — two innings, lights out. One walk, that’s it. The guy’s ERA for the postseason? Zero point zero zero. He’s basically invisible out there.
Final line from Citi Field:
Dodgers — one run, seven hits, no errors, a whole lotta nothing.
Mets — six runs, nine hits, no errors, and a 1-0 series lead.
Next game’s tomorrow, same place. And folks, I’m just saying… I’ve seen this movie before. Mets pitching. Citi Field crowd. The Dodgers looking confused. You can almost hear that 1969 organ music in the background, can’t ya?
But for now — enjoy it, Mets fans. Get some sleep, if you can. The Schmooze will be here all night, taking your calls — the board’s already lit up.
“Steve, are the Mets for real?” — I dunno, you tell me!
Mets win it, six to one. Rojas the hero. Contreras clutch. Sloan with the dagger.
From Citi Field, I’m Steve Somers… the Schmooze… sayin’ goodnight ‘til the next good night.