In a very unexpected, lopsided defeat, the Los Angeles Dodgers jumped all over the New York Mets in their opening outing in the National League Championship Series by keeping the Mets scoreless, beating them 9-0.
The Dodgers have now gone 33 consecutive innings in the postseason without giving up a single run, tying the MLB record for scoreless innings only with the 1966 Baltimore Orioles in the World Series.
L.A. managed to pitch a perfect 27 innings against New York, only allowing a walk by Mets MVP Francisco Lindor in the top of the fourth inning. Jack Flaherty gave up two hits in seven innings, keeping the Mets from scoring and didn’t allow a hit until Jesse Winker’s single in the fifth inning.
Mets starter Kodai Senga folded in the most important start of his career, walking three consecutive batters in the first inning and permitted six of the 10 batters he faced to reach base. Senga was pulled from the mound after throwing just 30 pitches, only nine of them were strikes, departing with the Dodgers up 3-0.
The New York bats were less than Amazin’ as well, managing only three hits the entire game. The top of the order, Lindor, Mark Vientos, Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso went hitless, striking out four times.
If their pitching and hitting wasn’t bad enough, there was first baseman Pete Alonso’s throwing error and Winker’s terrible baserunning mishap. Winker led off the fifth inning with a single to right field and Jose Iglesias followed with a single to center, setting up a first-and-third situation with no outs. in a potential rally. Winker, who could’ve easily made it to third, looked at center fielder Enrique Hernandez, who faked as if he was going to throw to third base. Winker stopped running and Hernandez threw the ball to second base. Winker got caught in an unnecessary rundown and was tagged out at third base.
The Mets never reached base again until after Flaherty left the mound.
Lindor and the Mets get a chance to redeem themselves this afternoon in Game 2 of the NLCS.
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