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 -- Enrique Hernandez and Shohei Ohtani hit multi-run homers to provide the Los Angeles Dodgers insurance in an 8-0 win over the New York Mets on Wednesday in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series.
Hernandez belted a two-run shot in the sixth inning and Ohtani added a majestic three-run blast in the eighth for the Dodgers, who lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. Game 4 is scheduled for Thursday night in New York.
The Dodgers hit just one ball into the outfield -- a sacrifice fly -- while scoring two runs off Luis Severino (1-1) in the second inning. Los Angeles left five runners on base over the next three innings before mounting a two-out rally against Reed Garrett in the sixth.
Tommy Edman singled and went to second on a balk before Hernandez homered just beyond the reach of a leaping Brandon Nimmo in left field. The homer was the second this postseason for Hernandez and his 15th in 78 playoff games. He is tied for 10th (with Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Nelson Cruz and Carlos Correa) on the all-time playoff homer list.
Hernandez averages one homer every 13.2 at-bats in the playoffs but just one per 29.1 at-bats in the regular season.
Max Muncy reached five times via a single, a ninth-inning homer and three walks. He also scored the Dodgers' first run on an infield single by Will Smith in the second inning. Edman followed with a sacrifice fly.
Michael Kopech (1-0), the second of the Dodgers' five pitchers, earned the win with a perfect fifth inning after relieving Walker Buehler, who gave up three hits and walked two while striking out six over four innings.
The Mets recorded just four hits, all singles, and were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, but they also hit into some tough luck while the game was still close. Francisco Lindor had a pair of flyouts on balls hit at least 100 mph. In the fifth, Lindor and Mark Vientos hit consecutive flyouts to the warning track on a windy night in which the first-pitch temperature was 51 degrees.
Severino took the loss after allowing two unearned runs on three hits and four walks while striking out three over 4 2/3 innings.
--Jerry Beach,