Dating back to the NLDS versus the Padres, many naysayers were critical of the Dodgers — saying that the team’s starting pitching was a major weakness on the ballclub. Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s five shutout innings in the clinching game over San Diego quieted some doubters.
However, heading into the NLCS with the New York Mets, more than a handful of media personalities favored New York over what they perceived as possessing a much better collection of pitchers.
In Game 1 of this series, Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty put in an effort that might lead to those making such proclamations think twice. Flaherty was masterful — holding the Mets to two hits and zero runs in seven innings. In the process, the Dodgers manufactured runs with timely hitting and small ball en route to a loud 9-0 victory at Chavez Ravine.
Flaherty put on a masterclass, locating his fastball exceptionally well off an effective slider and a devastating knucklecurve. He kept the Mets off-balance all evening and proved why the Dodgers were so hellbent on acquiring him from Detroit at the trade deadline. It was special for Flaherty, as he did this in front of his family and friends in a ballpark he grew up attending games at.
The Dodgers scored nine runs despite not hitting a homer in this contest. The team ambushed Mets starter Kodai Senga from the jump, capitalizing on Senga’s inability to throw strikes. Shohei Ohtani, a hobbled Freddie Freeman, and a red-hot Enrique Hernandez all had two hits. Mookie Betts’ bases-clearing double in the eighth truly put the game out of reach for the Mets, who will now return Monday afternoon with trusted starter Sean Manaea in what’s probably a must-win game.
As for the Dodgers, it appears as if they’ll go the bullpen route once more — with Walker Buehler and Yamamoto tentatively scheduled to pitch Games 3 and 4 back in New York. The Dodgers are currently on a streak in which they’ve not allowed a run in 33 straight innings. It broke a National League record and tied the record set by the Baltimore Orioles in 1966 for the longest in MLB postseason history.
