After the 1972 season, Bench had a growth removed from his lung; he remained productive, but never again hit 40 home runs in a season. In 1973, Bench hit 25 home runs and 104 RBI and helped the Reds rally from a 10½-game deficit to the Los Angeles Dodgers in early July to lead the majors with 99 wins and claim another NL West Division crown. In the NLCS, Cincinnati met a New York Mets team that won the NL East with an unimpressive record, 16½ games behind the Reds. The Mets boasted three of the better starting pitchers in the NL, future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Jon Matlack. Bench's bottom of the ninth-inning home run off Seaver in the first game propelled the Reds to victory, but Seaver would get the best of the Reds and Bench in the deciding Game 5, winning to put the Mets into the World Series against the Oakland A's.