Dodgers' early burst in Game 4 already has Mets fans in shambles at Citi Field

It took Shohei Ohtani almost no time at all to start reversing a postseason narrative about him that formed through the NLDS and the first three games of the NLCS. Through five games against the Padres and three against the Mets, Ohtani had went 7-for-9 with runners on, and 0-for-22 with the bases empty — a ridiculous split that was kind of hard to actually complain about, especially when it also meant that he was leading the Dodgers in RBI.

But in Game 4 of the NLCS, Ohtani immediately stepped up to prove his detractors wrong. With José Quintana on the mound for the Mets, Ohtani took a ball and then saw a sinker in exactly his sweet spot up in the zone. The crack that sounded was unmistakeable; he hit that ball 117.8 MPH and sent it 422 feet into the stands. It was 1-0 Dodgers on the second pitch of the game.

Mark Vientos answered quickly, hitting a fastball that Yamamoto put almost exactly where Quintana's fated sinker to Ohtani was, and the game was quickly tied at one apiece.

The second passed without fanfare, but the top of the third featured more good hitting for Tommy Edman, batting cleanup for this first time this postseason. He hit a double to score Ohtani, and then Kiké Hernández, who's just a different player in October, tacked on another with an RBI single.

The Mets cut the deficit down to one when it was their third, but they squandered a bases loaded opportunity against Yamamoto. Mets fans were absolutely going through it having to watch their team blow it during yet another big spot, with some (including a Grimace) even opting for prayer.

Dodgers send Mets fans into a spiral after Yoshinobu Yamamoto escapes bases-loaded situation with minimal damage

Yamamoto shook in the bottom of the third, giving up back-to-back singles to Franciscos Alvarez and Lindor, and then walked Vientos to load the bases with just one out. Brandon Nimmo, who's still waiting to actually show up to the postseason, battled Yamamoto before hitting a weak grounder on a nice splitter. To his credit, Nimmo absolutely bolted to first base as the Dodgers attempted to turn a double play and get out of the inning.

Nimmo was called out at first on the field, but if he was out, it was only by a hair. The Mets challenged both the out and second and first, arguing that Edman's foot had never hit the bag at second. The call at second was upheld — the runner was out — but the call at first was overturned, and one run scored for the Mets. But with two men still on, Starling Marte grounded out to end the inning and kill New York's momentum.

In the top of the fourth, Mookie Betts continued to try to change his own October narrative, and he succeeded. With two men on, he slapped a fastball to left field, scoring Chris Taylor and Ohtani (all the way from first). 5-2 Dodgers. Betts stepped up again in the top of the sixth to break the game open with a two-run homer of his own (and get just a triple away from the cycle).

If Mets fans were feeling down after that third inning, then they're completely losing their sanity right now.