The Mets bats couldn’t get anything going against Jack Flaherty and the Dodgers in Sunday’s NLCS opener, allowing Los Angeles to match an MLB playoff record in the series-opening defeat.
New York was blanked 6-0 by a pitching staff that entered the game having shut out the Padres in the final 24 innings of the NLDS, making their current streak now at 33 straight scoreless innings in the playoffs.
According to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, that ties the big-league record for longest consecutive streak of scoreless innings in a single postseason, tying the mark set by the 1966 Orioles, who also pitched 33 straight scoreless frames, all in the World Series. Those O’s silenced the Dodgers in that Fall Classic behind their vaunted rotation that included Dave McNally and Jim Palmer.
On Sunday night, it was Flaherty silencing the Mets, tossing seven shutout innings after a rocky start in his game two outing in the NLDS against San Diego. Flaherty started with three perfect innings as the Dodger bats jumped out to an eventual 6-0 lead, chasing Mets starter Kodai Senga after just 1.1 innings of work.
Flaherty’s red-hot start in game one made it 28 straight batters retired by LA’s pitching staff, dating back to Friday’s decisive game five in San Diego. That mark is the third-best in playoff history, trailing the 2004 Yankees and the 1956 Yanks, who retired 31 straight batters in the World Series thanks in large part to Don Larsen’s perfect game.
The Mets will try to wake up the bats and even up the series on Monday night in game two, when the Dodgers are expected to go with a bullpen game, while New York will counter with Sean Manaea.