Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Mets Pick & Prediction OCTOBER 17th 2024
Preview and Prediction
NEW YORK The New York Mets are aware of their strong ability to bounce back from a deficit this season.
The Los Angeles Dodgers cannot forget the previous instance when the Mets were in a tough spot.
In Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, the Mets will strive to even the series while the Dodgers aim to take a commanding lead on Thursday night.
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Left-hander Jose Quintana (0-0, 0.00 ERA in the playoffs) will take the mound for the Mets against right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-0, 5.63 ERA).
On Wednesday, Enrique Hernandez, Shohei Ohtani, and Max Muncy provided insurance with home runs as Los Angeles cruised to an 8-0 victory to take a 2-1 series lead.
Hernandez's homer in the sixth inning was the first extra-base hit of the game, as both offenses struggled to gain momentum on a chilly 51-degree evening. The Dodgers were 2-for-9 with runners on base before Hernandez's home run, while the Mets finished 1-for-10 with runners on base.
In the eighth inning, Ohtani hit a 397-foot three-run homer, and Muncy followed with a solo shot in the ninth for the Dodgers, who recorded their second shutout of the NLCS. Los Angeles also won Game 1 by a score of 9-0.
The two victories in this series are among the three most lopsided shutout wins in Dodgers postseason history, as well as the most lopsided shutout losses in Mets postseason history.
Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler, who started Game 3 and allowed three hits over four innings, said, "I think when you're in these playoff situations, everything becomes a blur and moves very quickly. And sometimes, I think they feel bigger than they are. Like if we come out and play poorly tomorrow, we won't care about how we played today."
He added, "I think we saw that in L.A.: We won the big Game 1, and the second game didn't go our way."
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In Game 2 on Monday, the Mets showed their trademark resilience when Francisco Lindor hit a leadoff homer and Mark Vientos hit a grand slam in the second inning, leading to a 7-3 victory.
The Mets were 11 games under .500 in early June, did not secure a playoff spot until they split a doubleheader with the Atlanta Braves on September 30, and trailed the Milwaukee Brewers by two runs with one out in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the NL wild-card series before Pete Alonso hit a go-ahead three-run homer to spark a 4-2 win.
New York pitcher Luis Severino, who took the loss on Wednesday after allowing two unearned runs over 4 2/3 innings, said, "This is nothing new. We need to come back tomorrow and try to win that game. If we win two out of three here, that would be huge for us."
Quintana last pitched on October 9, when he did not factor into the decision after giving up an unearned run over five-plus innings as the Mets advanced to the NLCS by defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 in Game 4 of the NL Division Series. He is 0-1 with a 2.43 ERA in seven career postseason games (six starts).
Yamamoto earned the win on Friday, giving up two hits over five scoreless innings as the Dodgers advanced to the NLCS by defeating the Padres 2-0 in Game 5 of the NLDS. It was the rookie's second career postseason start, after he allowed five runs in three innings during Game 1 against San Diego.
Quintana has a 3-2 record with a 2.04 ERA in 13 career regular-season games (10 starts) against the Dodgers. He went 0-1 with a 10.29 ERA in two postseason starts for the Chicago Cubs against Los Angeles in 2017.
This season, Quintana lost his only start against the Dodgers on May 28, giving up three runs over six innings as the Mets fell 3-0 in the second game of a doubleheader.
Yamamoto did not factor into the decision in his only start against New York, allowing four runs (three earned) over six innings as Los Angeles lost 9-4 on April 19.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Mets Recap OCT 17TH 2024
NEW YORK - Freddie Freeman usually bats behind Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts in the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup.
But with Freeman on the bench due to a right ankle injury Thursday night, he got to admire his teammates from a different vantage point as the hard-hitting duo moved the Dodgers to the edge of the World Series.
Ohtani homered on the second pitch of the game and Betts had four hits - including a homer - and four RBIs for the Dodgers, who took control of the National League Championship Series with a 10-2 win over the New York Mets in Game 4.
The Dodgers lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 and will attempt to clinch the pennant and a trip to the World Series on Friday afternoon, when the teams are scheduled to play Game 5 in New York.
"To be one game away - we're really excited," said Dodgers shortstop Tommy Edman, who was 2-for-6 with three RBIs. "We've got to concentrate one game at a time, but we're close. We can feel it, for sure."
The Mets, who will be playing an elimination game for the second time this month, have been outscored 30-9 in the NLCS.
"If you have no belief, you shouldn't be here -- you've got to believe and fight for what you want," Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor said. "We have an amazing opportunity and that's winning a big-league game in the National League Championship Series. We've got to come out, we've got to execute and we've got to play the game better than they do."
Following his 422-foot leadoff homer to right, likely NL MVP Ohtani saw just 14 pitches while walking in each of his next three plate appearances -- all of which led to rally-extending hits by Betts, the former AL MVP.
"I know there was a stretch there for, like, two or three at-bats, I don't think he saw a pitch remotely close, which I understand," Betts said. "But it's going to be tough to just walk him all the time.
"We'll see. If they want to continue to do it, that's OK. I just need to make sure I take care of my job."
Betts singled and later scored the final run of a two-run third-inning rally before lacing a two-run double in the fourth to extend the Dodgers' lead to 5-2. He added insurance in the sixth, when Betts greeted Phil Maton with a two-run homer to left.
"It's just so tough for starting pitchers right out of the gate - you're pitching to Hall of Famers," said Freeman, who said he expects to play Friday. "I can't even hit the ball that hard with an aluminum bat and Shohei is doing it (with a wood bat). It's amazing, especially with the way they're swinging as good as they are right now. It's fun to hit behind them."
Edman put the Dodgers ahead for good with a two-out RBI double in the third. Enrique Hernandez followed with a run-scoring single. Edman hit a two-run double in the eighth before Will Smith added an RBI single.
"It's a deep lineup, but the biggest thing is they're going to force you in the zone - they're not going to chase," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. "When you do come in the zone, you have to execute. Because if not, they're going to make you pay."
Max Muncy, who started at first base for Freeman, walked in his first three plate appearances before singling in the seventh. It was the 12th straight plate appearance in which he reached base, tying Reggie Jackson's postseason record. Muncy struck out in the eighth.
"I definitely wasn't aware of it, but it's obviously really cool," Muncy said of tying Jackson. "For me, the most important thing is that means I'm getting on base, giving my teammates a chance to drive me in, creating havoc, doing anything I can."
Evan Phillips (2-0), the second of four Dodgers pitchers, earned the win by tossing 1 1/3 scoreless innings. He relieved starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who gave up two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out eight over 4 1/3 innings.
Mark Vientos homered in the first inning and Brandon Nimmo legged out the back end of a potential double-play grounder to drive in a third-inning run for the Mets, who finished 4-for-22 with runners on base and left the bases loaded twice.
Jose Quintana (0-1) took the loss after allowing five runs on five hits and four walks over 3 1/3 innings. He struck out two.
--Jerry Beach,