The Mets’ return to New York for the National League Championship Series did not go as they had hoped. After arriving with the series tied, the Mets struggled to contain the Dodgers’ offensive onslaught and failed to score themselves, resulting in an 8-0 shutout loss at Citi Field on Wednesday night, witnessed by a packed crowd of 43,883.
The defeat marked the second time the Mets were held scoreless in the series. They fell behind early, allowing two runs in the second inning. The Dodgers extended their lead with a two-run homer from Kike Hernandez in the sixth and a three-run blast from Shohei Ohtani in the eighth.
Currently, the Mets trail the Dodgers 2-1 in the NLCS, with Game 4 set for Thursday at 8:08 p.m. at Citi Field.
In Game 3, Tylor Megill was unable to deliver the needed innings. After giving up a three-run homer to Shohei Ohtani in the eighth, Max Muncy followed up with a belt-high cutter for another home run, pushing the Dodgers’ lead to 8-0.
Ohtani, who was quiet for the first seven innings, finally made his mark with a strong home run in the eighth, commanding attention and helping the Dodgers pull ahead significantly.
The Mets had a brief rally in the sixth inning, managing to get two runners on base against Dodgers reliever Ryan Brasier. However, Jose Iglesias hit into an inning-ending double play, quashing their momentum.
Reed Garrett was one out away from a perfect sixth inning when Kike Hernandez doubled the Dodgers’ lead with a two-run homer following a single from Tommy Edman.
Pitching performances also played a key role in the game. Walker Buehler lasted just four innings, giving up three hits and two walks while striking out six batters. Luis Severino fared slightly better, lasting 4⅔ innings with two unearned runs on three hits and four walks.
In a notable defensive play, Francisco Lindor made a slick sliding stop to rob Mookie Betts of a single in the fifth inning, showcasing his talents despite being overlooked for a Gold Glove nomination.
The Mets had a strong opportunity to score in the second inning with the bases loaded but fell short, with both Francisco Alvarez and Francisco Lindor striking out, allowing the Dodgers to maintain a two-run lead.
The Dodgers manufactured two runs in the second inning without a hit leaving the infield, capitalizing on a series of Mets mistakes, including an error by Francisco Alvarez.
Both teams released their lineups ahead of Game 3, in what had been highly anticipated. The game was broadcast live on FS1.