Dodgers 10-2 Mets (Oct. 17, 2024) Game Recap

NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers are coming off another win in October and one win out of the World Series.

Ohtani hit a leadoff home run and scored four, Mookie Betts also went deep and scored four runs, and the Dodgers beat the New York Mets 10-2 on Thursday night to go 3-1 in their one-sided National League Championship Series in the lead.

“I love the way our guys didn’t put their foot down,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We don’t want to give these guys momentum.”

Betts had a two-run home run and a two-run double among his four hits. Max Muncy extended his streak of reaching base safely to 12 plate appearances, a postseason record, and the Dodgers moved closer to their 25th pennant, the most in NL history.

“You just let those emotions guide you,” Betts said. “I was trying to stay balanced and all those things. At a time like this, that doesn’t really work, so you just have to jump on the rollercoaster and enjoy the ride.”

Game 5 is Friday at Citi Field. Jack Flaherty is scheduled to pitch for Los Angeles as they look to take his hometown team to the World Series.

David Peterson will make his first playoff start for New York after pitching well out of the bullpen this postseason.

“Peterson is fully rested. The last time he pitched was four days ago. So I expect him to get a regular start,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said, adding that starter Kodai Senga will be available out of the bullpen.

Surprising cleanup batter Tommy Edman had three RBI, including a tiebreaking double against starter Jose Quintana with two outs in the third inning. Kiké Hernández followed with an RBI single that made it 3-1.

Betts opened the game by hitting reliever Jose Buttó with a two-run double in the fourth and then right-hander Phil Maton with a two-run home run in the sixth.

Both big hits followed walks to Ohtani, who gave him three straight free passes after homers on consecutive swings through the third.

“All I know is there was a stretch there for about two or three at-bats, I don't think he saw anywhere near a pitch, which I understand. But it will be difficult to be with him all the time,” Betts said. “We'll see. If they want to continue doing that, that's fine. I just have to make sure I take care of my job and the people behind us.”

Ohtani pointed toward the Dodgers dugout when he scored. The $700 million superstar said All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman, who was sidelined with an ankle injury, spoke to him before the game.

“Freddie spoke to me to make sure I joined the party sooner rather than later,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “So this time I managed to do that on my first attack.”

Betts, who began the night batting .200 this postseason, delivered a huge punch between second and third as he rounded the bases after his third home run of the playoffs.

Mark Vientos provided a rare highlight for New York when he hit his fourth postseason home run in the first inning against $325 million rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

But the Mets, who were 14-2 in their last 16 games at Citi Field when they returned Wednesday, were eliminated on their own turf for the second straight game.

New York was outscored 30-9 in the series, including 9-0 in the opening game and 8-0 in Game 3.

“You have to give these guys credit. This is a strong lineup,” Mendoza said. “And whether (our starters) feel it or not, we didn’t execute and we didn’t get any length from them.”

The latest flop, after a thrilling comeback that stretched well into October, drew a sellout crowd of 43,882 and left Citi Field eerily quiet in the late innings – and almost as empty as it was in April.

“When we come back from this, it’s going to be a heck of a story,” outfielder Brandon Nimmo said.

Evan Phillips earned the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Yamamoto, who struck out eight and retired in the fifth with a 5-2 lead.

After trailing 7-2, the formidable Mets had a chance to get back into the game when they loaded the bases in the sixth with no one out. But then Phillips got two outs and Blake Treinen retired pinch-hitter Jesse Winker with a fly to the right-field warning track.

“I kind of like the us-against-the-world attitude that our guys have taken. I think it’s kind of ironic with the Dodgers, but I like that,” Roberts said.

“If we win five more games I will be much happier. But yes, I'm very happy to be in this position. And I just want to keep our guys hungry and focused and not let them back in the series.”

TRAINER ROOM

Dodgers: Freeman missed his second playoff game. He played the entire postseason with a badly sprained and swollen right ankle.

Mets: Collapsed catcher Francisco Alvarez limped to first base in pain after being drilled by Yamamoto's 91-mph sinker early in the fifth. He was pulled for a pinch-hitter with the bases loaded in the sixth.

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Flaherty, acquired from Detroit at the July 30 trade deadline, went 6-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 10 regular-season starts for the Dodgers and finished 13-7 overall with a 3.17 ERA. He allowed two hits over seven innings and won the NLCS opener 9-0.

Peterson was 10-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 21 regular season starts. He saved the decisive Wild Card Series victory in Milwaukee and won the decisive Division Series victory against Philadelphia in relief.

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