The Dodgers advanced to the World Series for the first time since 2020 with a 10-5 victory over the New York Mets in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series Sunday evening at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers will open the World Series Friday at Dodger Stadium against the New York Yankees, the 12th World Series meeting between the two teams and first since 1981. The Yankees have won eight times and the Dodgers three.
Tommy Edman, batting cleanup in place Freddie Freeman, drove in four runs with a two-run double in the first inning and a two-run homer in the third as the Dodgers won the best-of-seven series four games to two, winning a pennant-clinching game at Dodger Stadium for the first time since 1988, when they defeated the Mets, 6-0, in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series.
Edman, acquired in a July 29 from the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-team trade that also included the Chicago White Sox, was selected as the series’ MVP. He batted .470 with 11 hits in 27 at-bats and drove in 11 runs.
Will Smith hit a two-run homer in the third that increased the Dodgers’ lead to 6-1 before a crowd announced at 52,674.
New York cut the deficit to 6-3 in the fourth when Mark Vientos hit a 1-0 slider from Ryan Brasier 401 feet over the centerfield fence for a two-run home run. The third home run was Vientos’ third of the series and fifth of the postseason.
The Mets loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth when Francisco Alvarez led off with a single and two outs later Vientos and Pete Alonso walked. But Evan Phillips retired Jesse Winker on a fly out to left fielder Teoscar Hernnádez to end the inning.
The Dodgers added a run in the sixth. Smith, the first batter Ryne Stanek faced, walked on four pitchers. Chris Taylor bunted with Smith beating the throw by Alonso to second, with Taylor credited with a sacrifice. Shohei Ohtani singled in Smith.
The Dodgers scored four times in the eighth on Mookie Betts’ two-run double, Teoscar Hernández’s sacrifice fly and Kiké Hernandez’s RBI single.
With the lack of healthy starting pitchers forcing manager Dave Roberts to opt for a bullpen game for the second time in the series and third time in the postseason, rookie Ben Casparius (1-0), the second of seven Dodger pitchers was credited with the victory, pitching 1 1/3 shutout innings, allowing two hits and walking a batter.
Blake Treinen earned his third save of the postseason, allowing one run and two hits over the final two innings, striking out four.
New York starter Sean Manaea (2-1) was charged with the loss, allowing five runs and six hits, walking two and striking out two in two innings.
The Mets opened the scoring in the first. Leadoff hitter Francisco Lindor walked on four pitches, moved to second on Michael Kopech’s wild pitch, to third on Brandon Nimmo’s ground out and scored on out later on Alonso’s single.
Freeman was not in the lineup because “he just kind of ultimately he just felt, we felt, that giving him another day is best for him,” manager Dave Roberts said in a pregame news conference. “Potentially having him late for an at-bat but the defense — he took batting practice yesterday. Felt fine. But just doesn’t feel like himself. So we just felt that potentially another day would help.”
Freeman had one hit in his last 16 at-bats over four games and was hitless in five at-bats Friday, striking out twice. Freeman did not play in Thursday’s 10-2 victory because of a sprained right ankle sustained on Sept. 26.
“I do think the swing is compromised because of the ankle and he’s grinding,” Roberts said Saturday at his workout day news conference.