Bridge to Familia stays solid

Noah Syndergaard got the Mets into the sixth. With a lead. Game over. From there, Jonathon Niese recorded one out to end the sixth. Addison Reed worked a perfect seventh. Tyler Clippard did a onehit eighth. Then Jeurys Familia pitched a scoreless ninth.

“I wasn’t a pitcher, so I was never one that thought to have a particular role outside of the guy pitching the ninth inning was that big,” Terry Collins said. “But at this level, it is big. Guys want to know when they’re going to be used. Our guys have done a great job.”

And they did so again Sunday in the Mets’ 41 Game 2 victory over the Cubs in the NLCS at Citi Field. The bridge guys before Familia had shown some definite mortality in recent weeks, but this time they were all rested and ready. First, noise struck out Anthony Rizzo ending the Cubs only scoring inning. Enter, Reed. “I felt good,” said Reed who got two popouts in his 123 inning. “Just trying to get ahead in the count and work quick. It was cold out there so I was trying not to be out there too long.

“We played the game the way we knew we could. Our bullpen we know what we’re capable of. We have all the confidence in the world in each other. From watching in the regular season we know what everybody can do and we’re executing to the expectations we talked about.” Exit, Reed. Enter, Clippard. “I was itching to get out there,” said Clippard who gave up a twoout, noharm single. “It was nice to get in a game like that. It felt good. Made the pitches I needed to make got through the inning and we won so everything’s good.”

And with a threerun lead, the Mets rarely see a more soothing sight than Familia in the ninth. There was a botched play at first for a single, but Familia did what he usually does, what he did 43 times in the regular season and now four times in the postseason. He got a save.

“But Jon Niese, Addison, Clippard, everybody they all pitch great,” Familia said. “We have so much confidence in our whole bullpen.”

Regardless of the inning.