Mets push Dodgers to the brink with 13-7 victory in Game 3

All season long – no even before it began – the Dodgers have had two great starting pitchers and then a whole bundle of questions. The answers proved difficult to come by.

Now for the Dodgers to advance in the postseason, it will have to be behind their two high-quality starting pitchers – Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke.

Kershaw is first up with the Dodgers left in a must-win situation after being embarrassed, 13-7, Monday by the Mets at Citi Field in Game 3 of their National League division series.

With the victory, the Mets took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. Game 4, a potential series clincher for the Mets, is Tuesday against Kershaw. If he can force a decisive Game 5 back in Los Angeles, Greinke will get the call.

That was the plan last season, too, and it did not work out so well against the Cardinals.

Monday the Dodgers started left-hander Brett Anderson, signed to be the No. 5 starter before the season, but he was pushed into the third spot after early injuries to Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu. He did not respond well to his first postseason appearance as Dodger, lasting just three innings.

After he departed Monday night, No. 4 starter Alex Wood took over and got hammered too.

Things looked briefly encouraging for the Dodgers in the top of the second when the jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Matt Harvey, who in truth, looked fairly beatable Monday.

1/17

New York Mets center fielder Juan Lagares scores off of a Daniel Murphy single in the fourth inning of Game 3 of the National League division series.

  (Elsa / Getty Images)

2/17

Dodgers reliever J.P. Howell walks back to the mound in the seventh inning of Game 3 of the National League division series against the New York Mets.

  (Elsa / Getty Images)

3/17

Daniel Murphy, left, celebrates with David Wright, center, and Yoenis Cespedes after scoring on Cespedes’ three-run home run in the fourth inning of Game 3 of the NLDS.

  (Kathy Willens / AP)

4/17

Yoenis Cespedes (52) and David Wright (5) of the New York Mets celebrate after his three-run home run in the fourth inning of Game 3 of the NLDS.

  (Mike Stobe / Getty Images)

5/17

Dodgers pitcher Alex Wood in Game 3 of the National League division series against the New York Mets on Oct. 12.

  (Mike Stobe / Getty Images)

6/17

Travis d’Arnaud and Yoenis Cespedes of the New York Mets celebrate after his two-run home run in the third inning of Game 3 of the National League division series.

  (Elsa / Getty Images)

7/17

Curtis Granderson of the New York Mets hits a three-run double in the second inning off of Dodgers pitcher Brett Anderson in Game 3 of the National League division series.

  (Elsa / Getty Images)

8/17

New York Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson (3) follows through on a double to centerfield, scoring three runs against the Dodgers during the second inning.

  (Julie Jacobson / AP)

9/17

Dodgers pitcher Brett Anderson reacts after giving up a two-run home run to the New York Mets’ Travis d’Arnaud in the third inning of Game 3 of the NLDS.

  (Julie Jacobson / AP)

10/17

Travis d’Arnaud hits a single to center field in the second inning against Brett Anderson during Game 3 of the National League division series against the Dodgers.

  (Elsa Garrison / Getty Images)

11/17

Dodgers outfielders Carl Crawford and Andre Ethier celebrate after scoring on a Yasmani Grandal single to right field during the second inning of Game 3 of the NLDS.

  (Elsa Garrison / Getty Images)

12/17

Carl Crawford (3) is greeted by his teammates after scoring against the New York Mets during the second inning of Game 3 of the National League division series.

  (Julie Jacobson / AP)

13/17

Veteran Brett Anderson will return to the Dodgers rotation Friday.  (Kathy Willens / Associated Press)

14/17

New York Mets right-hander Matt Harvey looks to pitch during the first inning of Game 3 of the National League division series against the Dodgers.

  (Mike Stobe / Getty Images)

15/17

Matt Harvey of the New York Mets throws a pitch during the first inning against the Dodgers in Game 3 of the National League division series.

  (Mike Stobe / Getty Images)

16/17

Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly greets his team during introductions Monday before Game 3 of the National League division series against the New York Mets.

  (Kathy Willens / Associated Press)

17/17

Clayton Kershaw (22) glances at Chase Utley (26) as the crowd boos Utley during introductions before Game 3 of the National League division series against the New York Mets.

  (Kathy Willens / Associated Press)

But the Mets came back with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning against Anderson and the beating was on.

Curtis Granderson had three-run and two-run doubles to finish with five RBIs. Travis d’Amaud had a two-run homer and Yoenis Cespedes a three-run homer. The Mets finished with 13 hits, making most of them count. Nine of their first 10 runs came with two outs.

The Dodgers added three late runs in the ninth on a three-run homer by Howie Kendrick, but it was deep into the too little, too late category.

Now after nine long months, the Dodgers officially have their backs pressed so firmly against the wall the can feel the pores in the brink.

After all the pregame attention to Chase Utley, when the game began it was all baseball. Or at least Mets baseball.

Utley never made an appearance, save for when he was introduced during pregame ceremonies, instigating one of the longest and loudest boos in world history.

Kershaw will be pitching on short rest just as he did last season when facing the Cardinals in Game 4 of their division series. Kershaw, who pitched the Dodgers’ division-clinching victory over the Giants last month, lost that game to St. Louis, 3-2.

Kershaw has been the team ace for the past five years, but is just 1-6 with a 4.99 ERA in the postseason. He took the loss in the series opener against the Mets and is on a five-game postseason losing streak.