Mets' Murphy ties postseason history with yet another homer
After breaking franchise postseason records, New York Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy has moved on to targeting MLB records.
In the top of the third inning of Game 3 of the NLCS between the Mets and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, Murphy crushed a 2-1 pitch from Kyle Hendricks over the center-field wall, giving him a home run in a fifth consecutive game this postseason. That ties him with Carlos Beltran for the most consecutive postseason games with a home run. Beltran achieved the feat in 2004 with the Houston Astros, who lost the NLCS in seven games.
Murphy's blast broke a 1-1 tie and provided a key run in what ended up a 5-2 Mets win to give New York a 3-0 lead in the series.
The 30-year-old second baseman is now tied for seventh all-time in home runs hit in a single postseason with an exclusive group that includes Alex Rodriguez, Pablo Sandoval, Albert Pujols and Evan Longoria, amongst others. Barry Bonds, Nelson Cruz and Beltran share the record with eight home runs.
To say the Mets didn't expect this kind of power output from the free-agent-to-be would be an understatement.
"Question is, who is this guy?" manager Terry Collins told reporters after the game.
"I've watched a lot of baseball over the years, I don't think I've seen anybody put on this kind of a show on this stage like he has so far," Collins said. "I mean, even the guys in the dugout, they're baseball guys, too, and they're saying the same thing."
Murphy hit 14 homers this season -- a career high. The homers during his playoff streak have come against a who's who of pitchers -- Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta and Hendricks. He also homered once more off Kershaw in the NLDS, before the streak began.
"I wish I could explain it," Murphy told reporters after the game. "I would have done it like six years ago. I can't explain it."
Murphy, who already held the Mets' postseason record for consecutive games with a home run entering the game, now owns the most career postseason home runs in franchise history, surpassing former All-Star catcher Mike Piazza.
Through eight postseason games, Murphy has six home runs and has driven in nine runs in a performance that will be talked about for years to come.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this report
