NEW YORK — What a pain in the neck.
Gavin Lux was not in the starting lineup for five of the previous six games while dealing with stiffness in his upper back/neck. But he looked limber enough Tuesday night, driving in three runs including the go-ahead run in the seventh inning as the Dodgers beat the New York Mets, 4-3.
The first game in the three-game matchup between the teams with the two best records in the National League lived up to its billing as a possible playoff preview, drawing a raucous full house to Citi Field and producing plenty of drama.
But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also lived up to his coy answer when asked in Miami if he might guard some information and avoid some matchups in anticipation of a possible October rematch — “I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe.”
Heath Hembree got the win in relief of Andrew Heaney and Jake Reed closed it out in the ninth for his first career save. The pair were added to the roster before Tuesday’s game. Neither is a threat to be repeating their performances in the postseason.
Now that Heaney has managed to stay healthy for more than two consecutive starts, he has emerged as a mixed bag in the Dodgers’ rotation.
The changes he has made to his pitch mix since joining the Dodgers have resulted in a steady stream of swings-and-misses. He got a season-high 21 in just five innings on Tuesday and struck out eight — including Pete Alonso three times (twice with runners in scoring position). Heaney threw Alonso nothing but four-seam fastballs, 14 of them, and Alonso swung and missed seven times.
But an old problem has resurfaced at the same time. After giving up just one home run in 31 innings over his first seven starts this season, Heaney has allowed six in 15 2/3 over his past three. Starling Marte took him deep in the third inning Tuesday and Mark Canha (on a rare change-up, thoroughly de-emphasized in Heaney’s Dodger blue period) in the fourth.
His own error on a bunt by Marte led to a third Mets run off Heaney but the Dodgers matched that with a three-run burst in the third inning.
Austin Barnes led off with a single and went to third on a double by Mookie Betts. Two outs later, Max Muncy drew a walk to load the bases and Mets starter Taijuan Walker lost a cutter inside and hit Joey Gallo to force in a run. That brought up Lux who lined a single to left to drive in two more.
The game was tied when Freddie Freeman turned a soft ground ball (60.6 mph off the bat) down the third-base line into a hustling double to start the seventh. Muncy grounded out to move him to third and Roberts sent Will Smith up to pinch-hit.
Mets manager Buck Showalter countered by intentionally walking Smith, bringing up Lux to face lefty reliever Joely Rodriguez. Lux stroked a full-count single through the middle to drive in the tie-breaking run.
