LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Dodgers will conduct a workout at Citi Field in New York Tuesday to prepare for Wednesday’s resumption of the National League Championship Series, which is tied at one game apiece.
The Dodgers lost to the New York Mets, 7-3, Monday at Dodger Stadium as Landon Knack allowed five runs in the second inning and the first five batters in the Dodger lineup — Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernández, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith — were a combined 0-for-19.
“It never feels good losing, but to feel you’ve got your leverage guys ready to go for the next three games, I feel really good about that,” manager Dave Roberts said. “So it was as least costly as it could be because of what (Brent) Honeywell did, (Anthony) Banda, (Edgardo) Henriquez did. So that was certainly helpful.
“Offensively we’ve got a chance to see their guys, their leverage guys and force some up-downs and I think that was beneficial too.”
Honeywell limited New York to one hit in the fifth through seventh innings in his first postseason appearance. Banda allowed one hit in the fourth. Henriquez allowed one run and two hits over the final two innings.
As he did in Game 4 of the Division Series against the San Diego Padres, Roberts opted for a bullpen game Monday — the second time in four games. While eight pitchers limited the San Diego Padres to seven hits in Wednesday’s 8-0 Dodger victory, Monday’s game failed to repeat that success.
The Dodgers entered the game three outs away from setting a postseason record for consecutive scoreless innings — but that milestone evaporated after just eight pitches, as Mets leadoff batter Francisco Lindor hit a 2-2 cutter from Ryan Brasier 395 feet over the right field fence for a home run.
The Dodgers had gone 33 postseason innings without allowing a run, tying the mark set by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1966 World Series against the Dodgers.
Lindor’s homer also ended the postseason record-tying streak of three consecutive shutouts the Dodgers share with the Orioles and New York Giants, set against the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1905 World Series.
New York added five runs in the second inning — highlighted by a grand slam by Mark Vientos off Knack.
With one out, Tyrone Taylor doubled in Starling Marte, who had led off with a single — advancing Jesse Winker, who had walked, to third.
Knack induced Francisco Alvarez to pop out to Tommy Edman, the Dodger shortstop, for the second out.
Roberts ordered an intentional walk to Lindor to load the bases. Vientos then hit Knack’s ninth pitch, a full-count, four-seam fastball, 391 feet over the center field fence for a grand slam.
“Knack wasn’t sharp overall, specifically the secondary,” Roberts said. “I thought in that second inning there was a bad walk in there to (Winker). You get Taylor 0-2, and you hang a breaking ball for the double.
“And then right there, you know we had an opportunity to minimize damage, and you get count leverage, you’ve got Vientos 1-2, and then he gets it to 3-2 and then you make a mistake with your heater.”
Roberts said he wasn’t considering “going to one of the higher leverage guys” as Knack continued to struggle.
“I think in that situation you still have to be able to finish the game,” Roberts said. “You’re talking about the second inning right there. So you have a guy on the mound that has to eat up innings. Yeah, you go to anyone else, we’re not going to be able to finish the game.”
The Dodgers were out-hit, 10-5, before a crowd announced at 52,926. Each player in New York’s starting lineup safely reached base.
Max Muncy hit a solo home run in the fifth and Edman doubled in two runs in the sixth for the Dodgers.
Muncy walked after Edman’s double, to give the Dodgers bases loaded with one out, but Kiké Hernández grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Pete Alonso walked, stole second and scored on Marte’s single in the ninth.
Mets starter Sean Manaea (2-0) got the victory, allowing three runs, two earned, and two hits over five innings, striking out seven and walking four.
“I thought he was really good,” New York manager Carlos Mendoza said. “The one thing he was not only getting ahead but staying on the attack. Like perfect example, the way he went after Ohtani the first couple of at-bats.
“I thought everything was working, whether it was the fastball, the change-up, the sweeper. But he made pitches in the zone. He stayed on the attack.”
Ohtani struck out on each of his first two at-bats. Ohtani has struck out 12 times in the postseason, tying Detroit Tigers shortstop Trey Sweeney for third behind Tigers third baseman Matt Vierling (14) and Vientos (13).
Edwin Diaz pitched 1 1/3 innings for his second save. He entered the game with Edman on second and Muncy on first with two outs in the eighth. The Dodgers executed a double steal but Kiké Hernández flew out to end the inning.
Diaz began the ninth by allowing a single to Andy Pages, who advanced to second on defensive indifference, and walking Ohtani on a full count. He then struck out Betts, Teoscar Hernández and Freeman to end the game.
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