LOS ANGELES – Much was made of how the string of injuries to the Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers would cause problems in October. Instead, the workforce has historically been dominant. Los Angeles recorded its third consecutive shutout in a 9-0 victory over the New York Mets.

Jack Flaherty pitched seven scoreless frames, helping the Dodgers tie an MLB postseason record with 33 consecutive innings without allowing a run. They now share the goal with the 1966 Orioles – who set it in return for the Dodgers in a World Series sweep.

The Dodgers offense made Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga pay for his four walks in 1 1/3 inning, as three came to score. Los Angeles added three more runs in the fourth inning to break the game open, and three more in the eighth to make it a laughing matter.

The Mets didn’t get a hit until the fifth inning and had only three hits that night, one of which was erased after a baserunning blunder by Jesse Winker.

Once on the brink of postseason elimination, the Dodgers are three wins away from making the World Series.

These teams will face off against each other on Monday in a true breakout match before flying to New York. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:08 PM ET.

Jack Flaherty leaves after throwing seven scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out six. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Dodgers pitching appears to be historic

Concerns about the Dodgers’ dangerous pitching early in this postseason have subsided and been replaced by dominance. When Francisco Lindor drew a leadoff walk against Flaherty in the fourth inning on Sunday, a string of 28 consecutive batters were retired by Dodgers pitchers from the National League Division Series. By the time Flaherty completed his fifth scoreless inning of the evening, the Dodgers had set a National League postseason record with 29 consecutive scoreless innings, surpassing the previous NL mark of 28 set by the New York Giants during the World Series of 1905 vomiting.

They upped the ante by tying the all-time MLB record of 33 consecutive scoreless innings with a one-two-three ninth inning from reliever Ben Casparius.

longest winless IP streaks, postseason only:

2024 LAD: 33 *active up to and including T9 (NLDS G3-pres.)
1966 BALL: 33 (WS G1-4)
1974 OAK: 30 (ALCS G1-4)
1905 NYG: 28 (WS G2-5)

h/t @EliasSports

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 14, 2024

Flaherty, the Dodgers’ star signing at the deadline, led Sunday’s edition of pitching excellence. After his first postseason start in Los Angeles was remembered more for a war of words with Manny Machado than for most of what he did on the mound, the Dodgers right-hander was determined not to “do too much” next time. He delivered perhaps his best start in his months as a Dodger.

Kodai Senga’s poor performance leads to doubts and questions

Unlike in the NLDS, the Mets had other solid options instead of opting for another short start from Senga to start the NLCS.

They could have started Sean Manaea in Game 1. Instead, he will start Game 2.

And they could have had Senga play a simulated game and have him appear later in the series, more drawn out. Instead, club officials said if Senga was going to pitch, they preferred he pitch when it mattered.

It was always a gamble to have Senga on the roster, knowing he would only deliver a few innings in a start before potentially being available to start again later in the series. It worked at the NLDS. This time it failed.

Senga’s performance looked bad from the jump. His fastball had no zip and his splitters looked like balls as soon as they left his hand. Simply put, he didn’t have it.

Can he reclaim it later, assuming the Mets push the series beyond four games? Would the Mets trust him? Or would they go to David Peterson, who also didn’t look great on Sunday (2 1/3 innings, four hits, one walk, three runs, two strikeouts)? Maybe he’s too valuable as a reliever. So… Tylor Megill? Senga’s disastrous start left doubts about the decision to join him, but also questions about what comes next.

Dodgers patience spelled Senga’s downfall

Injuries disrupted Senga’s season and virtually any chance for the Dodgers to see him recently. How far Senga could go for the Mets in Game 1 was another uncertainty.

“He’s going,” Max Muncy said before the game, “as long as we let him go.”

It wouldn’t take that long. The Dodgers waited for the Japanese right-hander as he struggled with his command, spraying fastballs and bouncing off-speed pitches. Of the 23 pitches Senga threw in the first inning, only seven were hits. Two of the three walks in the first inning came back to bite him on Max Muncy’s two-run single. In the second inning, Senga issued a walk to Gavin Lux, who came around to score and make it 3-0.

The hook finally came after Senga threw 30 pitches and 10 strikes and recorded four outs. For the second time in three games for the Dodgers, an opposing manager allowed a struggling starter to face Shohei Ohtani with a runner on base. Just as he did against Dylan Cease in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, Ohtani singled through the right side.

For a Dodgers club that has struggled to grab an early lead in recent seasons, it was a win. According to Inside Edge, the Dodgers won 81.9 percent of the regular season games in which they scored first.

(Top photo of Jack Flaherty: Harry How/Getty Images)