With the Mets rallying in the top of the second in game two, the Dodgers intentionally walked Francisco Lindor to load the bases with two outs to bring Mark Vientos to the plate.
The strategy may have been sound, as Lindor, who just hit a home run in his previous at-bat, would have turned around and hit lefty against the righty Landon Knack, but nevertheless, Vientos took exception to the decision by Dave Roberts and company.
“To be honest with you, I took it personal,” Vientos told FOX Sports’ Tom Verducci on the field after the game. “I was like, ‘OK, you want me up to the plate? I’m gonna try to drive in a run.’”
Instead, Vientos drove in four.
After working the count full in an eight-pitch battle, Vientos drove the ninth pitch of the at-bat just to the right of dead center and gone, blowing game two wide open and sending the Mets to a much-needed win heading back to Queens.
Lindor, coming off an MVP-caliber season, is considered a major offensive threat, but the 24-year-old Vientos reminded Los Angeles that he is hitting a robust .378 with a 1.086 OPS in his first-ever postseason, and is a potent threat in the box himself.
“I was trying to simplify the game,” Vientos said. “I wasn’t trying to do too much, but I did take it personal that they walked Lindor to load the bases for me.
“I was trying to put a ball in the gaps or just get a walk, honestly. I wasn’t trying to swing at anything down in the dirt. I know today they were throwing me a lot of pitches down and a way and I was trying to see them up.”
Veintos did a lot more than that, laying off of three pitches down and away before getting a pitch middle-middle that he demolished, giving the Mets all the momentum after coming out flat in game one.
“I think we’re in a great spot,” Vientos said. “I like the momentum we got and the energy we brought in this day game. We gotta keep it rolling.”