The New York Mets face a crucial matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series, following a disheartening 9-0 defeat in the series opener. The Mets had less than 24 hours to recover from this loss, as they prepare for the game scheduled for 4:08 p.m. today.
Sean Manaea is set to take the mound for the Mets, aiming to bounce back after a challenging outing from teammate Kodai Senga in the first game. The Dodgers, on the other hand, plan to utilize a bullpen game, starting with right-hander Ryan Brasier.
In the early moments of Game 2, Manaea has demonstrated exceptional form, striking out Shohei Ohtani twice and keeping Mookie Betts without a hit across two at-bats. By the end of the third inning, Manaea had posted three scoreless innings, accumulating six strikeouts with only 45 pitches.
The Mets applied pressure once again in the third inning, having loaded the bases after singles from Pete Alonso and Jose Iglesias, along with a walk from Tyrone Taylor. However, Francisco Alvarez’s flyout to center field prevented them from capitalizing on this opportunity. Despite this setback, the Mets maintained a 6-0 lead.
Mark Vientos highlighted a dominant second inning for the Mets by hitting a grand slam. After a brief rally with Tyrone Taylor’s RBI double and an intentional walk to Francisco Lindor, Vientos took full advantage of the situation, launching an opposite-field grand slam that further extended the Mets’ lead.
Moreover, Francisco Lindor set the tone for the game early on by hitting a leadoff home run off Brasier, marking the sixth postseason leadoff home run in Mets history, the first since Curtis Granderson did so in the 2015 World Series.
Fans looking to catch the game can tune in to FOX for the live broadcast of NLCS Game 2 between the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers.