Los Angeles jumped out to a commanding 9-0 victory in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, powered by early runs and a dominant pitching performance.
Emotions ran high as the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets clashed in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on Sunday night.
With the Dodgers seeking their first World Series appearance since 2020 and the Mets aiming to return to the Fall Classic for the first time since 2015, the atmosphere was electric at Dodger Stadium.
Dodgers Crush Mets in Game 1 of NLCS, Take Early Series Lead
Los Angeles wasted no time in seizing control of the game. Their offense exploded in the first inning, as Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Teoscar Hernandez drew walks to load the bases. Max Muncy then stepped up to the plate and delivered a single, driving in Betts and Freeman for the first two runs of the game.
The Dodgers continued to pile on the runs in the second inning. Gavin Lux walked, advanced to second on a sacrifice from Tommy Edman, and then scored on a single by Shohei Ohtani to make it 3-0.
Dodgers Crush Mets in Game 1 of NLCS, Take Early Series Lead
While the Dodgers' offense was producing, their starting pitcher, Jack Flaherty, was equally impressive. Flaherty pitched seven shutout innings, allowing just three hits and striking out two. He kept the Mets' offense in check throughout his outing, giving the Dodgers a commanding lead.
The Mets, who entered the series with high hopes, struggled to find any momentum. Their only hits came from Jesse Winker, Jose Iglesias, and Fernando Alvarez, and they were unable to generate any consistent offense against the Dodgers' pitching.
Dodgers Crush Mets in Game 1 of NLCS, Take Early Series Lead
In the eighth inning, Betts broke the game open with a bases-clearing double, extending the Dodgers' lead to 6-0. Muncy followed with an RBI single, and Will Smith added another run with a sacrifice fly to make it 9-0.
Daniel Hudson and Ben Casparius closed out the game for the Dodgers, preserving the shutout.
The Dodgers' victory gives them a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 2 is scheduled for Monday night at Dodger Stadium.
Betts and Muncy were the offensive stars for Los Angeles, combining for four hits and four RBI. Flaherty's stellar outing proved crucial, as he silenced the Mets' bats and gave the Dodgers a significant advantage in the series.
The Mets will need to regroup and find a way to generate offense if they want to tie the series in Game 2. The Dodgers, on the other hand, will look to capitalize on their early momentum and take a commanding 2-0 lead.
