Mets 2, Dodgers 1
LOS ANGELES -- Catcher Kevin Plawecki hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning to give the New York Mets a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night in front of 52,570 at Dodger Stadium.
The Mets broke their three-game losing streak and remained 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Washington Nationals in the National League East while trimming the Dodgers' lead over the second-place San Francisco Giants in the National League West to two games.
New York broke a 1-1 in the top of the ninth against right-handed closer Kenley Jansen (2-1). First baseman Lucas Duda began the inning with a bloop double down the left-field line. Duda moved to third base when second baseman Wilmer Flores singled off Jansen's glove, then scored the winning run when Plawecki hit a fly ball to center fielder Joc Pederson.
Right-hander Hansel Robles (2-2) allowed only one hit and struck out three in two innings of relief. Right-hander Jeurys Familia pitched a perfect ninth inning with one strikeout for his 22nd save.
Most of the game was a duel between two left-handers, the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw and the Mets' Noah Syndergaard.
Kershaw allowed just one run, five hits and two walks while amassing seven strikeouts and inducing nine groundouts in seven innings.
Syndergaard, recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on May 9, retired 13 of 15 Dodgers between the second and sixth innings, including seven in a row. The rookie conceded one run, two hits and two walks while striking out six in six innings and throwing a fastball that reached 99 mph.
The Mets had a chance to score the first run in the first inning but failed. Center fielder Curtis Granderson began the game with a walk. Left fielder John Mayberry Jr. followed two outs later with another walk. But Kershaw struck out first baseman Lucas Duda to end the inning.
The Dodgers responded by taking a 1-0 lead in the second against rookie left-hander Noah Syndergaard. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez propelled an 88 mph slider over the center-field fence for his 14th home run of the season.
New York tied the score in the top of the fourth. Mayberry doubled down the left-field line, took third base on a wild pitch and came home when second baseman Wilmer Flores singled to right field past a drawn-in infield.
Los Angeles had an opportunity to move ahead after third baseman Justin Turner began the bottom of the fourth with a double to left-center field. But Duda made two stellar defensive plays to prevent Turner from scoring.
Duda made a diving stop of Gonzalez's hard-hit grounder away from the bag and threw to Syndergaard to get the out at first base, with Turner going to third on the play. Duda again dived to his right to secure right fielder Yasiel Puig's ground ball, then beat Puig to the base for the second out. Left fielder Andre Ethier lined out to end the threat.
NOTES: New York OF Michael Cuddyer did not start for the third consecutive game after injuring his left knee Tuesday. Cuddyer entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning and struck out. ... ... The Mets rank next-to-last in the major leagues with a .232 team batting average and a .358 slugging percentage. ... The Mets' flight from Chicago to Los Angeles made an emergency stop in Detroit on Thursday because play-by-play broadcaster Howie Rose needed medical attention. ... Dodgers CF Joc Pederson is the eighth rookie in major league history to hit 20 home runs before July 4. ... The Dodgers signed RHP Trevor Cahill to a minor league contract Thursday and designated RHP Brandon League for assignment. Cahill an All-Star with the Oakland Athletics in 2010, went 0-3 with a 7.52 ERA for the Atlanta Braves before being released June 19.