Los Angeles – In a stunning showcase of dominance, Jack Flaherty teamed up with his fellow Dodgers pitchers to limit the New York Mets to just three hits, leading to a decisive 9-0 victory in the opening game of the National League Championship Series. This victory allowed the Dodgers’ pitching staff to tie the postseason record for consecutive scoreless innings at 33, a mark that dates back to the 1966 World Series when the Baltimore Orioles achieved the same feat against the Dodgers.
The Dodgers wasted no time, quickly knocking Kodai Senga out of the game during the second inning and establishing a comfortable six-run cushion by the fourth inning itself. Fans rallied behind their team, chanting “MVP! MVP!” as the star player Shohei Ohtani went 2 for 4. Ohtani contributed significantly to the scoreboard, scoring two runs and driving in another.
Flaherty’s performance was nothing short of spectacular, as he surrendered only two hits while pitching through seven innings. This marked the Dodgers’ first scoreless postseason outing lasting more than seven innings since Clayton Kershaw’s incredible eight-inning performance in the 2020 NL Wild Card Series. The crowd of 53,503 cheered loudly as Flaherty exited the game to a standing ovation, signifying the impact he has made since being acquired from Detroit at the trade deadline on July 30. His addition has provided crucial stability to a rotation plagued by injuries throughout the season.
The right-hander began the game flawlessly, retiring the first nine batters and extending the team’s streak of consecutive outs to an impressive 28. It wasn’t until the fourth inning that Flaherty allowed a walk to Francisco Lindor, and his only hits against him came from Jesse Winker and Jose Iglesias—both in the fifth inning. He tallied six strikeouts during his outing, displaying a commanding presence on the mound.
In stark contrast, key players for the Mets struggled offensively; Lindor recorded no hits in three at-bats, though he did manage a walk and a strikeout. Similarly, Pete Alonso went hitless in three appearances, adding a walk and another strikeout to his tally.
The Dodgers demonstrated resilience after battling back from the edge of elimination in the NL Division Series against San Diego, ultimately winning that series in five games and achieving two consecutive shutouts in their final games. Now, they embark on their quest for a historic 25th NL pennant, and after their aggressive performance against Senga, who has had an injury-riddled year and was making only his third start of the season, they seem determined to make their mark in this series.
The second game of this best-of-seven series is set to take place on Monday.
