After a frustrating Game 5 to send the NLCS back to Los Angeles, the Dodgers regrouped and continued to slug their way through the playoffs. Tommy Edman came up with the big early blows, a Will Smith homer added on, and the pen navigated around traffic as the Dodgers tacked on insurance late to cruise to a 10-5 win over the Mets.
World Series, here we come.
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As advertised, the Dodgers ran a pen game, and they made it clear they were taking this one seriously by starting Michael Kopech. Things started a bit ominously with a four-pitch walk to Francisco Lindor, who advanced to second on a wild wild pitch to the backstop, then got to third on a groundout to second. However, Kopech rebounded with a strikeout and completely sawed Pete Alonso off, but the blooper behind the mound was thrown away by Chris Taylor on a barehand attempt for a “single” that was advanced to second on an error.
Borderline, surprised he didn't give it. https://t.co/kAchW1C3RS pic.twitter.com/lSVFVAPPtc
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) October 21, 2024
The @Mets get on the board in the top of the 1st! #NLCS pic.twitter.com/tYKTQN4DfT
— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2024
Another walk followed to put a pair on, but thankfully the worst was avoided thanks to a flyout.
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Mets starter Sean Manaea started his Game 2 outing well against the Dodgers, but did start to falter a bit later on. This time around the bats surely didn’t want to let him get a head of steam going, and they started off well with a Shohei Ohtani single. After a strikeout, Teoscar Hernandez then smashed a ball off the wall, but he was walking thinking it was gone and Ohtani got a terrible read or something, thus it resulted in a single and the runners cornered. Just a terrible start for them from a little things perspective.
Fortunately, Edman made that not matter as much, as he lined a double down the line in left to plate Ohtani and Teoscar to make it 2-1.
TOMMY CLUTCH! pic.twitter.com/swSpSxdxDn
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 21, 2024
With a runner still in scoring position, Max Muncy missed his pitch and flew out, Enrique Hernandez drew a walk, and Andy Pages fouled out to end the threat.
Manaea laboring due to command, so despite doing like everything wrong to start the game, feeling alright. Let's go.
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) October 21, 2024
In a bit of a surprise, Ben Casparius started the 2nd as Dave Roberts looked to steal outs, and he got the first two before issuing a walk to #9 hitter Francisco Alvarez. Surprisingly, he was allowed to face the top of the order, and a Lindor single made it a bit of a rally before Casparius mercifully got a Brandon Nimmo flyout to end it.
Casparius continued in the 3rd, getting a groundout but also allowing Alonso’s second infield single of the day. That led to Anthony Banda being summoned, and he immediately issued a walk to Jesse Winker to put a pair on before getting Starling Marte to pop out. After Tyrone Taylor was hit by a pitch, the bags were packed, but Banda disposed of Jeff McNeil on three pitches to keep it 2-1.
Thank you. pic.twitter.com/pfqLZ6Znzl
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) October 21, 2024
Fortunately, the offense added on after that.
Following a rough 1st, Manaea rebounded a bit in the 2nd, giving up a Taylor single and stolen base with two outs, but Mookie wasn’t able to take advantage for a scoreless inning. However, the 3rd proved to be big as Teoscar started with another single and Edman came up huge yet again by smashing a two-run homer to left to make it 4-1.
CAN'T STOP TOMMY. pic.twitter.com/xGsc4TIPGt
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 21, 2024
Tommy Edman continues to deliver for the @Dodgers! #NLCS pic.twitter.com/6Y0brFngMZ
— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2024
Tommy Edman's homer made Magic Johnson and the rest of LA go crazy!
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 21, 2024
📺: FS1 pic.twitter.com/5mBOmvSQgQ
?????????? pic.twitter.com/SMHbAQxcWm https://t.co/VEmpPH6Pdw
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) October 21, 2024
After a Muncy walk, Manaea’s day was done in favor of Phil Maton. Despite Muncy stealing second, he started well, getting Enrique and Pages to flyout, but the struggling Smith ended that run by hitting a two-run shot out of nowhere to center that made it 6-1.
THERE GOES WILL. pic.twitter.com/NI37Id2ycl
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 21, 2024
Will Smith, all of the emotions. pic.twitter.com/TT0RicWjn6
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 21, 2024
Dodger Stadium is LOUD tonight ?️ #NLCS pic.twitter.com/svZFCGoKHu
— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2024
The Dodgers could’ve used a clean inning from the pen in the 4th after all that, and after a lead-off single to Alvarez (again), Banda got the top of the Mets order to make a pair of outs. That was it for him, as Ryan Brasier entered, which seemed like an odd choice in real time.
Nope. Unforced error, IMO. I preferred the previous games strategy of shutting them down as much as possible with your best and trying to let the offense build a bigger lead. https://t.co/AvKc4wYWug
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) October 21, 2024
So, of course, after throwing a slider for a ball, he hung the next one to Mark Vientos, who pummeled it for a homer to cut the lead to 6-3.
Mark Vientos gets two runs back for the @Mets ? #NLCS pic.twitter.com/HeYTrKD7ip
— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2024
Dave was forced to take a chance with his pen in the 5th due to choosing Brasier early, and despite a lead-off single and a bunch of hard contact, he got through the frame without further mess to keep it 6-3.
The 6th was finally the time for Evan Phillips, who gave up another Alvarez hit, but then got two flyouts to seemingly make it an alright outing. However, he walked his best matchups in Vientos and Alonso on just nine pitches to load the bases. In a miracle, he got one of the worst matchups in Winker to flyout softly to left to end that threat.
Evan Phillips escapes the bases-loaded jam! #NLCS pic.twitter.com/kenovjjogF
— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2024
Breathe.
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With the Mets on the verge of elimination, they didn’t mess around, bringing in Edwin Diaz in the 4th. He did walk Mookie with one out, and he stole second, but retired both Teoscar and Edman to escape that inning. He then got a clean second inning in the 5th on just 11 pitches that seemed to set him up for the 6th as well.
Thankfully, Carlos Mendoza went to Ryne Stanek instead, who walked Will on four pitches, and threw four balls to Taylor as well, one he bunted foul and one fair, though Alonso tried to get Smith at second and everybody was safe. That brought up Ohtani, who got behind 0-2, but battled back to 3-2 and then blooped a single into center to make it 7-3.
Shooooo! pic.twitter.com/TT294KLjNw
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 21, 2024
Unfortunately, Stanek was done and Reed Garrett entered, getting a soft lineout from Betts that was dropped to get Ohtani at second, another soft lineout that was caught by a diving Lindor from Teoscar, and then after a stolen base from Mookie to put two in scoring position, Edman grounded out to strand the runners.
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Due to the heavy stress Phillips suffered, it was Daniel Hudson in the 7th, and he started with a groundout.
Kiké making it look easy! pic.twitter.com/ZkUbxL0VwG
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 21, 2024
However, after seemingly getting strike three on Taylor, he gave up a single to him, which was followed by a McNeil single to corner the runners.
Fuck. pic.twitter.com/QZv58nUPZS
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) October 21, 2024
An Alvarez sac fly followed to cut things to 7-4 before Hudson was able to get a big out against Lindor to end the 7th.
??? pic.twitter.com/SBKhSKzRtF
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 21, 2024
At that point, Dave took a big risk by having Blake Treinen try to get six outs. Big risk because if he didn’t have it, then the options were Edgardo Henriquez and Landon Knack.
No matter, Treinen came out on fire, pumping strikes and whiffing the side on just 12 pitches.
BLAKE TREINEN STRIKES OUT THE SIDE. pic.twitter.com/16yTBvwMmJ
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 21, 2024
For the Mets, Kodai Senga entered in the 7th, hitting a batter but having nothing else happen. The 8th started worse with a CT3 single and a walk to Ohtani to put a pair on. Mookie made them pay, doubling off the wall in left to score CT3 and then Teoscar followed with sac fly to push the lead to 9-4.
Betts got to third on that, but Edman grounded to a drawn-in infield and Mookie was thrown out at home for the second out. But the Dodgers didn’t quit, Muncy drew a walk to advance Edman to second, and Enrique came up big again with a single to right that made it 10-4.
Three-spot in the eighth! pic.twitter.com/dAlTWTEcGs
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 21, 2024
Jose Butto entered to end Senga’s day and got the final out of that rally.
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Treinen then returned for the 9th, getting the first two outs, but then allowing a Taylor single that got to second on indifference and then scored on a McNeil single that deflected off CT3’s glove to make it 10-5.
No matter, a groundout next at-bat led to a win and sent the Dodgers to the World Series.
WORLD SERIES BOUND. pic.twitter.com/dSCoZ7IRJR
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 21, 2024
All of Los Angeles when the final out was made pic.twitter.com/snaJaKcZCb
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 21, 2024
The winning moment for the @Dodgers! #NLCS pic.twitter.com/nyTHqisUbr
— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2024
More to come as updates come, let’s go, man.
The Dodgers lift the National League Championship trophy for the first time since 2020 🏆 pic.twitter.com/8C61Vy2BI3
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 21, 2024
Deservedly, Edman is NLCS MVP.
Tommy Edman is your 2024 #NLCS MVP! pic.twitter.com/XYEe24Ylc3
— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2024
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A mood and some records.
Mood. pic.twitter.com/hZ8fw9ssGa
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) October 21, 2024
Most walks drawn in postseason series:
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 21, 2024
2024 NLCS LAD: 41
2011 WS STL: 41
1997 WS CLE: 40
most times reaching base safely in postseason series, Dodgers history:
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 21, 2024
2024 NLCS Shohei Ohtani: 17
2024 NLCS Max Muncy: 17
2020 WS Corey Seager: 15
2008 NLCS Manny Ramírez: 15
1955 WS Jim Gilliam: 15
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Their next game will be on October 25 against the Yankees at Dodger Stadium with the time to be determined.