Dodgers Finish Off Mets with 10-5 Win in NLCS, Advance to Face Yankees in World Series
The Los Angeles Dodgers have finally arrived at the stage they’ve been working towards all year, and they’re ready to make a deep run in the postseason.
Shohei Ohtani carried the injury-riddled Los Angeles Dodgers to baseball’s best record during the regular season. Tommy Edman joined the team in late July and helped them reach the World Series.
It’s been that kind of year for the big-spending Dodgers. When Ohtani isn’t amazing with his power at the plate and prowess on the basepaths, someone else is stepping up.
Edman and Will Smith homered to send Ohtani into the World Series for the first time, and the Dodgers eliminated the New York Mets with a 10-5 victory in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series on Sunday night. Los Angeles opens the World Series against the New York Yankees on Friday.
### Quotes
* “I really feel like we finally arrived, I finally arrived at this stage,” Ohtani said through a translator. “A lot of the games we played were really tough and hard to win, and it was truly a team effort to get here.”
* “Every year I get to spring training and I wonder how we’re going to make a baseball team fit because we have so many talented players,” reliever Evan Phillips said. “I wouldn’t say we planned for injuries but we planned to have multiple guys contribute throughout the year.”
* “It’s kind of what the people wanted, what we all wanted,” Dodgers star Mookie Betts said. “It’s going to be a battle of two good teams, a lot of long flights across the country.”
* “I never imagined once we acquired him, he’d be hitting fourth in a postseason game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Edman. “But I trust him. The guys trust him. He’s made huge defensive plays for us and had huge hits.”
Game 6 Recap
The Dodgers, who were eliminated in the Division Series the previous two years, spent a combined $1 billion last winter to sign Ohtani and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to lucrative long-term contracts in hopes of winning the franchise’s eighth World Series title.
Los Angeles trailed after Pete Alonso’s run-scoring single against starter Michael Kopech. However, Edman gave the Dodgers the lead for good with a two-run double in the bottom half off Sean Manaea that drove in Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández, who both singled. Hernández snapped an 0-for-18 skid.
Edman drove in the Dodgers’ first four runs and his 11 RBIs in the NLCS tied a franchise record set by Corey Seager in 2020 against Atlanta. Edman, who won the NLCS MVP award, joined the Dodgers at the July trade deadline from St. Louis.
Ohtani, playing his first season with the Dodgers after agreeing to a record $700 million, 10-year contract as a free agent, had two hits and scored two runs in Game 6. He hit .364 with two homers and six RBIs in the NLCS.
Post-Game Quotes
* “The goal was to get to this far,” Ohtani said. “And I also pictured myself getting this far with the contract that I’ve signed.”
* “We wouldn’t be here without him,” Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said. “We went through a lot of injuries and there was a good stretch during the regular season where he single-handedly carried us.”
World Series Matchup
The Dodgers will face the New York Yankees in the World Series, a team that has been nagging them for years. Los Angeles and New York have met 11 times in the World Series history, with the Yankees holding an 8-3 advantage. The series will begin on Friday at Dodger Stadium.
Conclusion
The Dodgers have finally arrived at the stage they’ve been working towards all year, and they’re ready to make a deep run in the postseason. With a star-studded lineup and a rotation that’s been able to adapt to injuries, the Dodgers are set to face off against the New York Yankees in the World Series.
Frequently Asked Questions
* Q: When does the World Series begin?
A: The World Series begins on Friday at Dodger Stadium.
* Q: Who has the edge in the series?
A: The Dodgers and Yankees have split their 11 previous meetings in the World Series, with the Yankees holding an 8-3 advantage.
* Q: Who is the key player for the Dodgers?
A: Shohei Ohtani has been the key player for the Dodgers all season, and his power at the plate and on the basepaths has been a deciding factor in several games.
