Revenge served by 44,000 maniacal New York Mets fans

Reporting from NEW YORK —  A fastball to the ribs might be the time-honored method of retaliation. A dagger to the heart was so much more enjoyable for the New York Mets.

The Mets shoved the Dodgers to the brink of elimination on Monday and, oh, what a party it was at Citi Field.

This was about as cathartic as nine innings could get. The anger and rage in the wake of Ruben Tejada’s broken leg gave way to celebration and joy, and eventually to a few gleeful rounds of mass taunting from the oh-so-vocal faithful.

The Mets humbled the Dodgers. The team that is happy to be here for the first time in nine years is one victory from sending the “World Series or bust” Dodgers to a third consecutive bust.

All that talk about slides up high, and fastballs high and tight, evaporated into a fireworks display. Boom! Four runs in the second inning. Boom! Two more in the third inning, and four more in the fourth.

Revenge was served by 44,000 maniacal fans, the loudest crowd in Citi Field history.

The only warning that needed to be issued, it turned out, was the same one issued in Los Angeles all year: the Dodgers have an incomplete pitching staff.

Chase who?

“The greatest retaliation,” Mets outfielder Michael Cuddyer said, “is winning the game.”

The Mets led by seven runs, led by nine, won by six. They scored 13, the most ever against the Dodgers in a postseason game. First the crowd let the Dodgers have it, and then the Mets let the Dodgers have it.

“I know the offense definitely fed off their emotions,” Mets pitcher Matt Harvey said.

Emotions had run high in New York for a couple days, since the Dodgers’ Chase Utley had taken out the Mets’ Ruben Tejada with a slide on Saturday at Dodger Stadium. Tejada suffered a broken leg. Utley became a tabloid target.

Mets Manager Terry Collins ordered his team not to retaliate. The fans would take care of that. As the pregame introductions began, it was clear that the fans had brought their game.

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The Dodgers lined up first. The “Utley Sucks” chants started immediately. When the introductions started, the traveling secretary was booed, and the clubhouse manager, and the assistant athletic trainer.

That was all throat clearing. Utley got his turn, and the venom was audible venom. The camera got up close and personal with Utley, who would not grant the fans the satisfaction of even the slightest facial expression. The camera lingered. Utley did not frown, or grin, or even so much as blink.

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New York Mets center fielder Juan Lagares scores off of a Daniel Murphy single in the fourth inning of Game 3 of the National League division series.

  (Elsa / Getty Images)

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Dodgers reliever J.P. Howell walks back to the mound in the seventh inning of Game 3 of the National League division series against the New York Mets.

  (Elsa / Getty Images)

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Daniel Murphy, left, celebrates with David Wright, center, and Yoenis Cespedes after scoring on Cespedes’ three-run home run in the fourth inning of Game 3 of the NLDS.

  (Kathy Willens / AP)

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Yoenis Cespedes (52) and David Wright (5) of the New York Mets celebrate after his three-run home run in the fourth inning of Game 3 of the NLDS.

  (Mike Stobe / Getty Images)

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Dodgers pitcher Alex Wood in Game 3 of the National League division series against the New York Mets on Oct. 12.

  (Mike Stobe / Getty Images)

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Travis d’Arnaud and Yoenis Cespedes of the New York Mets celebrate after his two-run home run in the third inning of Game 3 of the National League division series.

  (Elsa / Getty Images)

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Curtis Granderson of the New York Mets hits a three-run double in the second inning off of Dodgers pitcher Brett Anderson in Game 3 of the National League division series.

  (Elsa / Getty Images)

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New York Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson (3) follows through on a double to centerfield, scoring three runs against the Dodgers during the second inning.

  (Julie Jacobson / AP)

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Dodgers pitcher Brett Anderson reacts after giving up a two-run home run to the New York Mets’ Travis d’Arnaud in the third inning of Game 3 of the NLDS.

  (Julie Jacobson / AP)

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Travis d’Arnaud hits a single to center field in the second inning against Brett Anderson during Game 3 of the National League division series against the Dodgers.

  (Elsa Garrison / Getty Images)

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Dodgers outfielders Carl Crawford and Andre Ethier celebrate after scoring on a Yasmani Grandal single to right field during the second inning of Game 3 of the NLDS.

  (Elsa Garrison / Getty Images)

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Carl Crawford (3) is greeted by his teammates after scoring against the New York Mets during the second inning of Game 3 of the National League division series.

  (Julie Jacobson / AP)

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Veteran Brett Anderson will return to the Dodgers rotation Friday.  (Kathy Willens / Associated Press)

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New York Mets right-hander Matt Harvey looks to pitch during the first inning of Game 3 of the National League division series against the Dodgers.

  (Mike Stobe / Getty Images)

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Matt Harvey of the New York Mets throws a pitch during the first inning against the Dodgers in Game 3 of the National League division series.

  (Mike Stobe / Getty Images)

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Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly greets his team during introductions Monday before Game 3 of the National League division series against the New York Mets.

  (Kathy Willens / Associated Press)

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Clayton Kershaw (22) glances at Chase Utley (26) as the crowd boos Utley during introductions before Game 3 of the National League division series against the New York Mets.

  (Kathy Willens / Associated Press)

“The boos at the introductions were kind of a big statement,” Harvey said.

Then the Mets lined up. Their reserves were introduced — and, oh wait, the Mets had one more. Tejada limped onto the field, in uniform and in a walking boot, steadying himself with a cane. The Mets players had seen Tejada in the clubhouse but had no idea how he would be integrated into the pregame routine.

The players were delighted. The place went absolutely bonkers. It was a Kirk Gibson moment, without the actual at-bat.

Then the game started, and the evening turned into a festival. The runs flowed freely, and so did the chants.

Whenever the Dodgers used a pinch-hitter: “We want Utley!” Whenever a Mets batter so much as leaned back at a pitch: “Utley sucks.” When Yoenis Cespedes ended any suspense with a mammoth home run in the sixth inning, into the second deck: “We want Utley!”

“It was loud from the moment you stepped out of the dugout,” Cuddyer said.

The Mets players did not have to say a word. The scoreboard said it all for them.

“Scoring as many runs as we did, that kind of did all the talking,” Harvey said.

Mets infielder Daniel Murphy gently disputed the notion that the margin of victory made it all the sweeter for the players.

“It’s a really excited clubhouse in here,” he said. “I don’t think we can be any more satisfied.”

The fans? They might still be chanting for Utley.

Follow Bill Shaikin on Twitter @BillShaikin