No matter how many times we’ve written it here, it feels good to say: the Yankees are playing in the 2024 World Series. They wrapped up the ALCS in just five games, so it was a bit of a wait to see who they would dance with in the Fall Classic.

The 2024 NLCS was a back-and-forth affair of emphatic victories, with the winners averaging more than nine runs per game through the first five. The Mets were on the ropes, however, trailing 3-2 in the series with two games remaining in Los Angeles. Ultimately, the trend continued as the Dodgers’ offense stayed locked down and put on a star-studded 2024 World Series.

National League Championship Series

Los Angeles Dodgers 10, New York Mets 5

(Dodgers win series, 4-2)

Game 6 started off on fire, with a very wild Michael Kopech setting the stage for the Mets in the first inning. Francisco Lindor led off with a walk and advanced to second base on a wild pitch from the Dodgers righty. Later, Lindor advanced to third base and was scored by Pete Alonso, who did things differently with a looping infield turnover over the mound.

The Mets were armed with an early 1-0 lead, but could not hold it for long. With Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández on the bags, Tommy Edman started his big night by hitting a double down the left field line, scoring both runners and immediately turning the Dodgers’ deficit into a lead.

The experienced utility man wasn’t done there either and doubled his damage in the bottom of the third. With Hernández on base with are On the second hit, Edman added to his fantastic LCS performance by launching a two-run homer into the crowded seats in left field.

They weren’t done in the third inning either. With Max Muncy on base, Will Smith jumped in on the two-run homer party with a blast of his own to center field. The Fresh Prince’s blast gave LA a convincing 6-1 score in Game 6.

Muncy’s walk the previous inning ended Sean Manaea’s outing after less than three innings, so the Mets would have to rely on their bullpen and a comeback offense. They started pulling away in the top of the fourth inning when Mark Vientos hit a two-run shot to put the Mets in trouble again.

With the core of the Dodgers order in sight, Carlos Mendoza didn’t want to risk widening the deficit, so he turned to Edwin Díaz in the fourth inning. The electric right-hander did everything they could realistically ask, pitching two scoreless innings in relief before being picked up for Ryne Stanek.

Still leading 6-3, the Dodgers managed to get a runner into scoring position in their half of the sixth. With Ohtani on the schedule, that means a near-automatic knockout these days, and the likely MVP scored with a looping single to center field. The single made it an otherworldly 18 for his final 22 with runners in scoring position, and put the Dodgers ahead 7-3.

The Mets were able to score a run in the seventh with a sacrifice fly, bringing the deficit back to three runs. Unfortunately for the Mets and Subway Series wannabes, however, the Dodgers ambushed the Mets pitching staff for the final time in the eighth inning. An RBI double by Mookie Betts got the party started, while a sac-fly by Hernández and a hit by Enrique Hernández got the Dodgers back into double figures.

Game 6 was the fourth game in which the Dodgers scored at least eight runs in the League Championship Series, which presented a tough hill for the Mets.

Blake Treinen came out for his second inning of work in the ninth, looking for three outs to wrap up the 2024 World Series game. The Mets showed some life with a pair of two-out hits and a run, but it wasn’t nearly enough as Treinen induced a 4-3 groundball to wrap up the 2024 NLCS. The pennant is the fourth in the last eight seasons for LA, and the first since 2020.

Not surprisingly, Tommy Edman took home NLCS MVP honors, going 11-for-27 with a homer and 11 RBI in the six-game series. He and the high-powered Dodger lineup open the World Series against the Yankees in Los Angeles on Friday. The extended time off will give both teams some rest, and for the sake of the Yankees, hopefully cool down the red-hot LA bats.