LOS ANGELES – Tommy Edman and Will Smith homered to send Shohei Ohtani to the World Series for the first time, and the Los Angeles Dodgers eliminated the New York Mets with a 10-5 victory in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series on Sunday night.

The Dodgers earned their record 25th NL pennant and first at home since 1988, when they defeated the Mets in seven games. They advanced to their 22nd World Series — 13th in Los Angeles — and first since 2020, when they defeated Tampa Bay during the pandemic-delayed season.

Next up for Ohtani & Co. is a matchup with Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees, who are back in the World Series for the 41st time and the first in 15 years. Game 1 is Friday at Dodger Stadium, with Judge (58) and Ohtani (54) the best home run hitters in the MLB this season.

It will be the twelfth time the legendary franchises meet in the World Series and the first in 43 years. The Yankees have defeated the Dodgers eight times, with the Dodgers’ two championships coming against the Bronx Bombers in 1981 and 1955.

“This is what everyone wants, right?” Dodgers star Mookie Betts said in his on-field postgame interview when asked about the World Series game with the Yankees.

The Dodgers were installed at American sportsbooks on Sunday as small favorites over the Yankees in the World Series. Los Angeles opened at -125 on ESPN BET, with the Yankees listed as +105 underdogs.

“It’s the place I’ve dreamed of playing my whole life,” Ohtani said of the World Series when asked during his on-field post-game interview.

Ohtani, playing his first season with the Dodgers after agreeing to a record-setting contract in free agency, had two hits and scored two runs in Game 6. He hit .364 with two home runs and six RBIs in the NLCS.

Not bad for his first postseason after spending six years with the Los Angeles Angels, who never had a winning record or reached the playoffs during his tenure.

Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen struck out Brandon Nimmo, Mark Vientos and Pete Alonso with a swing in the eighth in his first two-inning outing since the 2021 NLCS.

The Dodgers briefly trailed 1-0 before cleanup hitter Edman, who was named NLCS MVP, came up big.

He 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 joined the Dodgers at the July trade deadline from St. Louis.

The Dodgers eliminated the Mets on their second attempt in the series. They defeated New York 40-26 in the six games. None of the games were close and the Dodgers earned two shutouts.

The Mets came within two wins of reaching the World Series after a 22-33 start.

The Dodgers led 2-1 in the first inning after Edman’s double into the leftfield corner off Sean Manaea, which scored Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández, who both singled. Hernández posted an 0-for-18 skid in the NLCS. Manaea needed 34 pitches to get through the first.

With two hits in the third inning, Edman sent a 400-foot shot to left-center for a two-run drive. Four walks to Max Muncy and two outs later, Smith homered 450 feet to Phil Maton, extending the lead to 6-1.

The Mets narrowed their deficit to 6-3 in the fourth. With two outs, Vientos hit a two-run homer – his fifth of the postseason – off Ryan Brasier. Vientos’ first career grand slam highlighted the Mets’ tying goal in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium.

New York twice failed to capitalize with the bases loaded. Trailing 6-3 in the sixth, Jesse Winker hit a fly ball against Evan Phillips to end the inning. After a run in the third inning, the Mets loaded the bases against Anthony Banda, then Jeff McNeil struck out swinging.

This report used information from the Associated Press and ESPN staff writer David Purdum.