Dodgers pitchers tie MLB record in NLCS Game 1 win over Mets: Takeaways

LOS ANGELES – There was a lot of talk that the spate of injuries to the Los Angeles Dodgers' pitchers in October would cause problems. Instead, the staff has historically been dominant. Los Angeles recorded its third straight shutout with a 9-0 victory over the New York Mets.

Jack Flaherty pitched seven scoreless frames, helping the Dodgers set an MLB postseason record of 33 consecutive innings without allowing a run. They now share the mark with the 1966 Orioles, who set them against the Dodgers in a World Series sweep.

The Dodgers' offense made Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga pay for his four walks in 1 1/3 innings, as three of them scored. Los Angeles added three more runs in the fourth inning to break the game open and three more in the eighth inning to make it a draw.

The Mets didn't score until the fifth inning and recorded just three singles on the night, one of which was erased due to a baserunning error by Jesse Winker.

Once the Dodgers are on the verge of postseason elimination, they are just three wins away from a World Series appearance.

These teams will face off in a true getaway game on Monday before flying to New York. First pitch is scheduled for 4:08 p.m. ET.

Jack Flaherty exited after seven scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out six. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

The Dodgers' pitching is proving to be historic

Concerns about the Dodgers' dangerous pitching early this postseason have subsided and given way to dominance. When Francisco Lindor drew a leadoff walk against Flaherty in the fourth inning on Sunday, 28 consecutive batters were retired by Dodgers pitchers from the National League Division Series. By the time Flaherty completed his fifth scoreless inning of the night, the Dodgers had set a National League postseason record with 29 consecutive scoreless innings, surpassing the previous NL mark of 28 set by the New York Giants during the 1905 World Series .

They upped the ante by tying the MLB record of 33 consecutive scoreless innings with a triple in the ninth inning by reliever Ben Casparius.

Longest IP scoreless streaks, single postseason:

2024 LAD: 33 *active until T9 (NLDS G3 pres.)
1966 BAL: 33 (WS G1-4)
1974 OAK: 30 (ALCS G1-4)
1905 NYG: 28 (WS G2-5)

h/t @EliasSports

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 14, 2024

Flaherty, the Dodgers' star signing at the deadline, was a leader in Sunday's pitching excellence edition. After his first postseason start with Los Angeles was remembered more for a war of words with Manny Machado than for most of his accomplishments on the mound, the Dodgers right-hander was determined not to “do too much” in his next outing. He delivered perhaps his best start in his months as a Dodger.

Kodai Senga's poor performance leads to doubts and questions

Unlike in the NLDS, the Mets had other solid options rather than opting for another short start from Senga to start the NLCS.

They could have started Sean Manaea in Game 1. Instead, he will start in Game 2.

And they could have had Senga run a simulated game and make him appear more stretched later in the series. Instead, club officials said that if Senga were to throw, he would prefer to do so when it mattered most.

It was always a risk keeping Senga in the squad, knowing he would only provide a few innings in a start before potentially being available for a start again later in the series. It worked in the NLDS. This time it backfired.

Senga's outing looked bad from the jump. His fastball lacked zipper and his splitters looked like balls as soon as they left his hand. Simply put, he didn't have it.

Can he take it back later, assuming the Mets extend the series beyond four games? Would the Mets trust him? Or would they go with David Peterson, who also didn't look great on Sunday (2 1/3 innings, four hits, one walk, three runs, two strikeouts)? Maybe he is too valuable as a replacement. So…Tylor Megill? Senga's disastrous start caused both doubts about the decision to go with him and questions about what comes next.

The Dodgers' patience proved to be Senga's undoing

Injuries disrupted Senga's season and the Dodgers had virtually no chance of getting a look at him. Another uncertainty was how far Senga would go for the Mets in Game 1.

“He’ll go,” Max Muncy said before the game, “as long as we let him go.”

It wouldn't take that long. The Dodgers waited for the Japanese right-hander as he struggled with his command, spraying fastballs and bouncing off off-speed pitches. Of the 23 pitches Senga threw in the first game, only seven were strikes. Two of three walks in the first inning came back to bite him on Max Muncy's two-run single. In the second inning, Senga threw a leadoff walk to Gavin Lux to make the score 3-0.

The catch finally came after Senga threw 30 pitches, 10 strikes and four outs. For the second time in three games for the Dodgers, an opposing manager allowed a struggling starter to face Shohei Ohtani a second time with a runner on base. Just like he did against Dylan Cease in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, Ohtani hit a single through the right side.

It was a victory for a Dodgers club that has struggled to gain an early lead in recent postseasons. According to Inside Edge, the Dodgers won 81.9 percent of regular-season games in which they scored first.

(Top photo by Jack Flaherty: Harry How / Getty Images)