Dodgers open NLCS with 3rd consecutive shutout, rout Mets

14.10.2024 06:19

DailyNews.com

The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman, right, and Mookie Betts embrace after scoring on a two-run single by Max Muncy (not pictured ) during the first inning of Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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LOS ANGELES — New Yorkers like to complain about how difficult it is to find a good bagel outside of the city. The Dodgers gave them nine to choose from Sunday night.

Picking up right where they left off in their series with the San Diego Padres, the Dodgers continued their scoreless streak with a third consecutive shutout, beating the New York Mets, 9-0, in Game 1 of their National League Championship Series.

Game 2 is Monday afternoon (1 p.m., FOX and FS1).

“Our pitchers have been amazing,” outfielder Mookie Betts said accurately.

It’s a historic run of dominance. The Dodgers have not given up a run since the second inning of Game 3 in the NL Division Series. The 33 consecutive scoreless innings by Dodgers pitchers is tied for the longest streak in postseason history with the Baltimore Orioles, who shut out the Dodgers for 33 consecutive innings during the 1966 World Series.

The Dodgers have scored 23 unanswered runs while holding the Padres and Mets to zeroes during the scoreless streak. Dodgers pitchers have held the opposing hitters to a .127 average (14 for 110) during the streak.

“I think it’s just a collective effort,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Certainly the players that were involved in all those scoreless innings have been fantastic. Defensively, we’ve been very good, converting outs when we need to. I think the coaches have done a great job of relaying the information and making it tangible and allowing for our pitchers and catchers to do a great job of sequencing.

“And the front office, just the information we get. I just think that how we’re preventing runs, it’s a complete team effort, collective effort.”

The bullpen carried more of the load in back-to-back shutouts to end the NLDS. But it was a starter – they still have those in baseball these days – who kept it going Sunday.

Jack Flaherty retired the first nine Mets in order, didn’t give up a hit until the fifth inning or a run in seven innings and became the first Dodgers starter to touch the mound in the seventh inning of a postseason start since Max Scherzer in Game 3 of their 2021 NLDS against the San Francisco Giants – 20 postseason games ago.

“It was just a pitching clinic,” Roberts said. “I thought he did a great job of filling up the strike zone with his complete (pitch) mix. Used his fastball when he needed to. … And once we caught a lead, he did a great job of just going after those guys and attacking.”

The Mets made Flaherty sweat just once – and then bungled their way out of a scoring opportunity in a callback to their franchise origins.

Jesse Winker led off the fifth inning with a single and Jose Iglesias dumped another into shallow left-center field. Winker got a good jump and rounded second base, heading for third base. Center fielder Kiké Hernandez fielded the ball and set up to throw to third base. Winker saw that and froze. When Hernandez threw across his body to second base instead, Winker was caught in no-man’s land and thrown out.

The next two Mets flew out to end the threat.

“It was a huge play,” Roberts said. “The game was still in the balance, and they started to kind of build an inning.

“But Kiké’s heads-up kind of look – body going towards third and then throw behind the runner – just a heady baseball play. And that right there I thought took the wind out of their sail.”

Having faced down the best team they are likely to face this postseason in the NLDS, Roberts said before the game he wanted his team to “push on” and not “let down your guard or get off the gas.”

Kodai Senga made it easy for them.

The Mets’ starting pitcher made just one start during the regular season due to shoulder and calf injuries and was limited in how many pitches he would be able to throw in a postseason start. He burned up 23 of them in the first inning, walking three consecutive batters to load the bases with one out. After Will Smith flew out and the runners held, Max Muncy came through with a two-out, two-run single.

“I thought you could see clearly that Senga just didn’t have his ‘A’ stuff tonight,” Roberts said. “The split was non-competitive. He didn’t use his sweeper. And then he was just relying on the cutter, working behind hitters, walking guys.”

Senga walked the first batter he faced in the second inning as well. After Tommy Edman bunted him to second, Shohei Ohtani drove in the Dodgers’ third run with a single.

That was it for Senga, who threw just 10 strikes in his 30 pitches. The Dodgers did nothing to help him. Of his 20 pitches outside the strike zone, Dodgers hitters swung at just two – one cutter and one slider.

“We wanted to get Senga out of the game early,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “We knew his pitch count was not going to be that high. Get to their bullpen, kind of create some havoc for them later on in the series.”

While Flaherty was breezing through the Mets’ lineup, the Dodgers doubled their lead with a three-run fourth inning.

Kiké Hernandez led off with a single and moved up on their second sacrifice bunt of the game, this one by Gavin Lux. Edman cashed it in with an RBI single and Ohtani followed with a 116.5 mph laser off the wall in right-center field. When Starling Marte bobbled the ball, Edman scored from first and Ohtani moved to second. Freeman drove him in with another two-out hit.

In the first postseason of his MLB career, Ohtani has built an odd stat line – he is 6 for 8 with runners on base, 0 for 16 when he bats with the bases empty.

The bases were loaded after Ohtani walked in the eighth inning, then Betts drove in three runs with a double.

“I think after an intense series like the last one where you play with a lot of energy, we were aware that you can definitely fall into a little lull and come out flat,” Edman said. “So we really made it a priority to come out with that energy and really take it to them and we did a great job of that in the first few innings. Kept the momentum up.

“Come out with the same energy and get after them again tomorrow.”

The Dodgers will try to break their tie with the Orioles by going with a bullpen game in Game 2.

“Thirty-three scoreless innings in a row now? It’s been unbelievable,” Lux said. “And against playoff lineups that have really good hitters in them. They (the bullpen) have been horses for us all year.”

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