CNN
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The Los Angeles Dodgers claimed a dominant 8-0 victory over the New York Mets in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) on Wednesday to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

Powered by home runs from Shohei Ohtani and Kiké Hernández, the Dodgers are now two wins away from reaching the team’s first World Series appearance since 2020, when they won the seventh title in franchise history.

After a scoreless first inning, the Dodgers jumped on Mets starting pitcher Luis Severino in the second.

Dodgers catcher Will Smith got the scoring started with an infield single, allowing Max Muncy to score. Los Angeles would add another run on a sacrifice fly by Tommy Edman, but a miraculous sliding catch by Mets outfielder Tyrone Taylor limited the damage to a 2-0 deficit.

In the bottom of the inning, the Mets loaded the bases after Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler had trouble with his command. However, the two-time All-Star retired catcher Francisco Álvarez and shortstop Francisco Lindor to keep the game at 2-0.

It remained a 2-0 game until Hernández hit a two-run home run in the sixth and added some spice to the encounter by waving to the silent Citi Field crowd.

With the Mets offense still sputtering and the bullpen taxed, Dodgers phenom Ohtani added insult to injury in the eighth inning.

The Dodgers slugger hit a 400-foot, three-run home run into the second deck of right field to give Los Angeles a 7-0 lead.

Third baseman Max Muncy would hit his 13th career postseason homer in the ninth inning to score another run.

The win gives the Dodgers their fourth shutout victory in the last five games.

The team started the NLCS in impressive fashion, tying the 1966 Baltimore Orioles record with 33 consecutive scoreless innings. The record was broken in the first inning of the team’s Game 2 loss after Lindor hit a solo home run.

Hernández, who has a knack for emerging when the lights are brightest, said he “visualizes” himself succeeding in any situation he can imagine.

“I do a lot of visualizations at night, the night before the games, and I try to put myself in every position and every situation you can think of during the game,” Hernández told reporters after the game.

“I visualize myself having success over and over again against their entire pitching staff and things like that. But also the fact that I had a reasonably good record in October. I can’t help it, but give me confidence. And it just makes you believe that you’re taking your game to another level. I try to take it one game at a time and I’m happy that I could contribute to the victory tonight.”

Buehler pitched four innings, striking out six batters and giving up just three hits, while the Dodgers bullpen gave up just one hit in five innings.

After the game, Buehler spoke about how his game has grown since the series of injuries he has suffered in recent years.

“To be honest, the only point of pride I have had in recent months is my attempt to go deep into the games and be efficient. Just pitching four innings is the exact opposite of that,” Buehler said. “But I pride myself on being able to get through some big and tough spots for another reason.

“But it’s just one of those things that I try not to indulge in especially in the playoffs, and sometimes that leads to pitch count issues or more walks than you normally would. But this match in October is about having zeros, and I’m proud that I was able to do that four times.”

Game 4 of the NLCS is scheduled for Thursday at 8:08 PM ET.