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The Los Angeles Dodgers opened up their National League Championship Series with a resounding 9-0 victory over the New York Mets on Sunday night.
Pitcher Jack Flaherty produced a masterclass with seven scoreless innings while the team’s $700million man Shohei Ohtani had two hits and scored twice to win Game 1.
Daniel Hudson and Ben Casparius also both pitched an inning for the Dodgers, who extended their scoreless streak to 33 consecutive innings to tie a postseason record.
Los Angeles has not allowed a run since the second inning of Game 3 in the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres and, on this evidence, look destined for the World Series.
Mookie Betts had a three-run double, Max Muncy had a two-run single and Freddie Freeman had two hits with an RBI while playing on a sprained right ankle as the Dodgers won their fifth consecutive game over the Mets.
Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers thrashed the New York Mets 9-0 on Sunday
It was a tough night for the New York Mets, who face an uphill battle to reach the World Series
Flaherty gave up two hits with two walks and six strikeouts while Kodai Senga gave up three runs with four walks and only lasted 30 balls for the Mets.
New York had just three hits, all singles. It was a tough night for the Mets, who lost an opener for the first time in three series this postseason.
The Dodgers turned three consecutive walks in the first inning into two runs on Muncy’s single before taking advantage of Senga’s generosity again in the second inning.
Gavin Lux walked to lead off the inning and scored on a single by Ohtani for a 3-0 lead.
Ohtani was then thrown out by Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez trying to steal second base, ending his streak of 36 consecutive successful attempts going back to July 22.
The Dodgers took a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning when Enrique Hernandez singled and scored on a Tommy Edman single.
Pitcher Jack Flaherty produced a masterclass with seven scoreless innings at Dodger Stadium
Ohtani’s streak of 36 consecutive successful attempts going back to July 22 finally ended
Ohtani followed with a single off the right-field wall for a 5-0 advantage, with Edman scoring after right fielder Starling Marte bobbled the ball. Freddie Freeman made it 6-0 on a single to left.
Flaherty did not allow a hit until the Mets’ Jesse Winker opened the fifth with a single.
The hit ended the Dodgers’ streak of 28 consecutive batters retired, going back to the third inning of Game 5 in the NLDS.
The Los Angeles scoreless streak is an NL record and tied the Baltimore Orioles major league-best run of 33 consecutive innings in the 1966 World Series that ended in a sweep of the Dodgers.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Monday while the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians begin the ALCS later on Monday.