Francisco Lindor homers in Mets’ 7-3 win over Dodgers as NLCS tied at 1-1

Francisco Lindor and Mark Vientos homered as the New York Mets stopped the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ record-tying postseason scoreless streak in a 7-3 victory on Monday, tying the NL Championship Series at a game apiece.

Lindor added to his storybook season with a leadoff homer in the first inning against Ryan Brasier. Viento delivered during New York’s five-run second, connecting for a grand slam against Landon Knack.

Before Lindor went deep, Los Angeles had a string of 33 consecutive scoreless innings. Jack Flaherty led the Dodgers to a 9-0 victory in Game 1 of the NLCS on Sunday night.

Sean Manaea opened Game 2 with four shutout innings for New York. He was charged with three runs, two earned, and two hits in five-plus innings. Closer Edwin Diaz earned a four-out save.

Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani was 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and two walks. He remains hitless with the bases empty in his first postseason.

Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Wednesday in New York.

The Mets jumped all over the Dodgers after flopping in the series opener.

Lindor fouled off four consecutive pitches from Brasier before sending a 395-foot shot to right for his leadoff homer.

Knack took over for LA in the second and gave up a leadoff single to Starling Marte and then walked Jesse Winker. One out later, Tyrone Taylor doubled to left, scoring Marte.

After Francisco Alvarez popped to shortstop, Lindor was intentionally walked to load the bases. Vientos sent a 391-foot shot to center for the third grand slam in Mets playoff history. That extended the lead to 6-0 and silenced the sellout crowd of 52,926.

It was the Mets’ second slam of the playoffs. Lindor hit a go-ahead slam in Game 4 of the NL Division Series against Philadelphia. Edgardo Alfonzo had the club’s first playoff slam in 1999.

The Dodgers had the potential tying run at the plate with two outs in the eighth.

Tommy Edman singled and Max Muncy walked before the Mets brought in Diaz. They moved up on a double steal before Kiké Hernández flied out to shallow right field to end the threat.

After Muncy homered leading off the fifth, the Dodgers rallied in the sixth to trail 6-3, reigniting the crowd.

Manaea issued consecutive walks to Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández to open the inning. Freddie Freeman grounded into a high bouncing fielder’s choice to second that Jose Iglesias couldn’t field cleanly. Hernández was safe at second on the error as Manaea exited.

Edman singled to right off Phil Maton with two strikes, scoring Betts and Hernández. Muncy walked to load the bases again and bring up Kiké Hernández.

He grounded into the glove of third baseman Vientos, who initially bobbled the ball before throwing to second, where Muncy slid into the leg of Iglesias. Pete Alonso then kept his foot on the bag as he stretched to haul in Iglesias’ throw.

The Dodgers challenged the double-play call, but it was upheld and the inning ended.

Manaea was the first left-handed starter the Dodgers have faced this postseason. They saw him plenty during his time with San Diego in 2022 and San Francisco last year. But he changed his delivery midway through this season with the Mets, dropping his arm slot and releasing the ball more horizontally.

The Mets took advantage of hard-throwing Dodgers rookie Edgardo Henriquez with an insurance run in the ninth.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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