Dodgers dominate Mets, post 1-0 lead

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Los Angeles pitcher Jack Flaherty dominated over seven scoreless innings and the Dodgers shut out the New York Mets 9-0 on Sunday in Game 1 of Major League Baseball’s National League Championship Series.

Mookie Betts delivered a three-run double. Max Muncy drove in two runs and Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani singled in a run and electrified the Dodger Stadium crowd with a hit that threatened to clear the outfield wall.

But it was more stellar pitching, backed by lockdown defense and a disciplined performance at the plate that propelled the Dodgers to victory to start the best-of-seven series.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Flaherty said.

“You can’t put it all into words. But the most important part was coming out and setting a tone.”

The Dodgers pitchers have now tied the major league post-season record of 33 consecutive scoreless innings, set by the Baltimore Orioles over the first four games of the 1996 World Series against the Dodgers.

“Each and every one of the pitchers has been doing their job exceptionally well and it’s really setting the tone for the offensive part of the game to be able to feel comfortable and score runs,” Ohtani said.

The Dodgers will try to double their series lead when they host Game 2 on Monday.

The winner of the series will advance to the World Series to face either the New York Yankees or Cleveland Guardians, who open the American League Championship Series on Monday.

It started with Flaherty, who retired the first nine batters he faced, giving up two hits and two walks with six strikeouts before departing with the Dodgers up 6-0.

Meanwhile, Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga lasted just four outs, his inability to throw strikes proving costly.

After retiring Ohtani to start the bottom of the first, Senga walked three straight batters to load the bases then gave up a single to Muncy that scored two runs.

He walked Gavin Lux to open the second. Lux advanced to second on a sacrifice fly and scored when Ohtani cracked a sharp single to right field, spelling the end of Senga’s day.

“He just didn’t have it together,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.

The Dodgers put up three more runs in the fourth inning off Mets reliever David Peterson, who walked Enrique Hernandez to open the inning.

Hernandez scored on a single by Tommy Edman and Ohtani then belted the ball to center field for a hit that was originally scored a double. Edman raced around for a run as Ohtani reached second on what was later ruled a throwing error — one of three by New York.

Ohtani, serenaded with chants of “MVP” whenever he was at the plate, scored on a bloop single to left field by Freddy Freeman and it was 6-0 Dodgers.

Flaherty got through the fifth without giving up a run with help from the Dodgers defense. Mets designated hitter Jesse Winker led off the inning with a single.