With a 10-5 victory over the New York Mets in Game 6 on Sunday, L.A. advances to its fourth World Series in eight seasons and its first since winning it all in 2020. The Dodgers will face the New York Yankees, who dispatched the Cleveland Guardians in five games in the ALCS, in Game 1 on Friday.
It didn’t seem like a great start for the Dodgers when opener Michael Kopech threw 25 pitches and gave up a run in the first, but Los Angeles’ pitching didn’t have to be elite — it just had to be better than New York’s. And it was. Fourteen total pitchers were used in the game, seven on each side, and Los Angeles' gamble of a bullpen game paid off.
The Mets struck first in the opening frame thanks to some heads-up baserunning, an infield single by Pete Alonso and a Dodgers throwing error, but their lead didn’t last long, with the Dodgers' offense attacking Mets starter Sean Manaea early. The lefty threw 34 pitches (21 strikes) in the first, giving up a two-run double to Tommy Edman.
Manaea made it only one more inning, and it was an uphill battle from there, as Mets pitchers continued to struggle against the Dodgers’ relentless offense. Edman continued his NLCS dominance with a two-run homer in the third, and Will Smith joined the party with a two-run bomb of his own just three batters later. Shohei Ohtani tacked on a run with an RBI single in the sixth, and RBI from Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernández and Enrique Hernández in the eighth put the Dodgers into double digits.
Ohtani will play in his first World Series in his seventh season in MLB — and his first with the Dodgers after signing a monster, 10-year, $700 million contract in the offseason.
What better way for Ohtani to make his World Series debut than against Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and the Yankees? It has been 43 years since the last time the Dodgers and Yankees met in the Fall Classic, and the Dodgers won 4-2 in 1981.
Both teams should be well rested when the World Series begins on Friday in Los Angeles.
Michael Cooper and Magic Johnson on the field prior to Game 6 between the Mets and Dodgers on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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Mets leave bases loaded in the 3rd
Anthony Banda struck out Jeff McNeil with the bases loaded, and the Dodgers still lead 2-1 in the middle of the third inning.
Anthony Banda comes on to face Jesse Winker after Pete Alonso reached first on a single.
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Better 2nd inning for Manaea
Manaea gave up a single to Chris Taylor, who stole second, but he struck out Shohei Ohtani and was able to escape the inning unscathed.
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Dodgers 2, Mets 1 in the 2nd inning
The Mets threatened with a Francisco Alvarez walk and a Francisco Lindor single, but reliever Ben Casparius neutralized the threat.
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Kopech out, Casparius in
After Michael Kopech threw 25 pitches in the first, Ben Casparius takes over in the second inning for the Dodgers.
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Alonso makes great play in foul territory to end Dodgers' threat
Sean Manaea threw 34 pitches (21 strikes) in the first inning but was able to limit the damage thanks to an impressive snag by Pete Alonso in foul territory.
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Sean Manaea in trouble
Manaea is at nearly 30 pitches in the first inning, and the Mets bullpen is gearing up.
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Tommy Edman puts the Dodgers on top
Tommy Edman's double gives the Dodgers a 2-1 lead in the first. It's also, somehow, the first lead change in the series.
Michael Kopech, a former starter-turned-reliever, opened for the Dodgers and gave up a leadoff walk to Francisco Lindor, who took second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a groundout by Brandon Nimmo. A Pete Alonso short-hopper scored Lindor to put the Mets on the board.
Kodai Senga was not good in his Game 1 start, giving up three runs with two hits and four walks in 1 1/3 innings. Yet Mets manager Carlos Mendoza expects Senga to pitch in relief in Game 6 — or Game 7.
Given how thin their bullpen is, the Mets seem committed to using Kodai Senga at some point in NLCS Game 6 or 7.
To cobble together 54 outs over the next two days, Carlos Mendoza said, "Senga's going to have to play a role."
Fox's Tom Verducci explained how Freddie Freeman's sprained right ankle is affecting his swing, which is why Dodgers manager Dave Roberts took him out of the Game 6 lineup.
"His front side started collapsing as soon as he got that front foot down and Dave Roberts said 'you are not playing in Game 6'"
Tom Verducci has more on the availability of Freddie Freeman for the Dodgers tonight, and why Jeff McNeil is starting for the Mets over Jose Iglesias pic.twitter.com/my7EhW1F9D
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