The Los Angeles Dodgers appeared to be clear favorites to advance to the World Series over the New York Mets following a resounding 9-0 victory in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. In Game 1, the Mets’ lineup looked lifeless as Jack Flaherty pitched a shutout over seven innings while the Dodgers lineup racked up nine runs over the course of the game. Then Game 2 happened. During Game 2 the following day, the Mets came out on top, recording a 7-3 victory over Los Angeles to tie the series at 1-1.
The Mets had the game in their hands from the jump after Francisco Lindor hit a leadoff home run during the first at-bat of the game. The Mets would later take a 6-0 lead thanks to a grand slam hit by Mark Vientos. The Dodgers bullpen was unable to come close to the shutout they pitched in Game 4 of the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres, allowing seven runs instead.
After their Game 2 loss, Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts made it clear that the Dodgers are not overlooking the Mets as the series continues.
“Nobody has gone 11-0 in the postseason,” Betts said, via Bill Plunkett of the OC Register . “All the teams, four teams left, they’re all good and you’re not just going to run through everybody in the postseason. I’ve never seen it and I’d imagine you’ll never see anybody do anything like that.”
Betts added: “You expect it to be a long series. They’re good. They’re not a bad baseball team. They didn’t make it here by luck. It’s going to be a dogfight. I’m going to give them their credit. They are a good baseball team. But we are too. It’s going to be a long series. We expect it to be a long, tough series.”
The Dodgers might be the better team on paper, but the Mets have overcome the odds over the course of the entire season. Once 22-33 early in the season, the Mets went 67-40 from that point to secure a berth in the playoffs. The Mets took down the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies in the first two rounds of the playoffs, and could threaten the Dodgers if Los Angeles lets up.
Photo Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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