Mets Blanked by Dodgers 8-0 in NLCS Game 3

Tied 1-1 in the 2024 National League Championship Series, the Mets welcomed the Los Angeles Dodgers to New York for Game 3 of the best-of-seven championship series. To welcome the NLCS to New York, the Mets also once again dawned their black jerseys.

The Dodgers sent right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler (1-6, 5.38 in the 2024 regular season; 0-1, 6.00 ERA in the 2024 postseason) to the mound against Luis Severino (11-7, 3.91 ERA in the regular season; 1-0, 3.24 ERA in the postseason) for the Mets.

It was all Dodgers on Wednesday night as their offense could not be shut down and Mets’ pitching struggled to find control. The Dodgers won in a rout, 8-0.

After a scoreless opening inning, the Dodgers struck first in the top of the second as Will Smith went toe-to-toe with Severino in a nine-pitch at-bat that Smith won. He was down 0-2 before fighting his way through the at-bat and ending it on an RBI single that scored Max Muncy to make it a 1-0 Dodgers lead. Tommy Edman then hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Teoscar Hernández to extend Los Angeles’ lead to 2-0.

The Dodgers struck next in the top of the sixth. After a two-out single by Tommy Edman, Enrique Hernández struck for a two-run home run off of Garrett that extended the Dodgers’ lead to 4-0.

They opened things up and ran away with the lead even more in the eighth. After a walk to Smith and a single by Hernandez, Shohei Ohtani launched a towering three-run home run to right field to make it a 7-0 Dodgers lead as the Mets’ chances to get back into it continued to look bleak.

Muncy then put the nail in the coffin in the ninth with a lead-off solo home run to right field that made it an 8-0 Dodgers lead.

On the mound, Severino lasted just 4 2/3, giving up two runs (none earned) on three hits and four walks. He struck out three. With two on and two out, Carlos Mendoza brought in Reed Garrett in relief. He lasted just 1 1/3, giving up two earned runs on two hits, including the home run to Hernandez.

Garrett then gave way to Megill, who threw the last three innings. He struggled heavily, giving up four earned runs on five hits, three walks and two home runs while striking out three.

Offensively, the Mets’ bats were flat and didn’t give their pitchers any support on Wednesday night either as they were limited to just four hits, but also had players walked or hit by pitches that gave the opportunities for the offense to do damage. But they struggled to produce with runners on base. They left eight runners on base, including the bases loaded in the second, and stranded two in the third and two in the sixth. They were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and ultimately failed to get it done when they needed to, allowing the Dodgers to shut them out to take game three in a dominant fashion.

On Deck

The Dodgers and Mets continue the 2024 NLCS on Thursday in New York as the Mets will look to even the series back up and not let the Dodgers extend their series lead. It will be Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-0, 5.63 ERA) on the mound for the Dodgers in Game 4 against Jose Quintana for the Mets.

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