Sport

MLB playoffs: Dodgers to face Yankees in World Series after sealing NLCS over Mets

LA will now face New York in decider for the 12th time in history, but first in 43 years

The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani and manager Dave Roberts after winning game six of the Major League Baseball (MLB) National League Championship Series against the New York Mets. Photograph: EPA
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani and manager Dave Roberts after winning game six of the Major League Baseball (MLB) National League Championship Series against the New York Mets. Photograph: EPA
Mon Oct 21 2024 - 12:32

Tommy Edman and Will Smith homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers eliminated the New York Mets with a 10-5 victory in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series on Sunday night.

The Dodgers clinched their record 25th NL pennant and the first at home since 1988, when they beat the Mets in seven games. They moved on to their 22nd World Series – the team’s 13th in Los Angeles – and their first since 2020, when they beat Tampa Bay during the pandemic-delayed season.

Next up for Shohei Ohtani and Co is Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees, who are back in the World Series for the first time in 15 years. Game 1 is on Friday at Dodger Stadium, pitting Judge (58) and Ohtani (54) – MLB’s top home-run hitters this season.

It’ll be the 12th time the storied franchises meet in the World Series and the first in 43 years. The Yankees have beaten the Dodgers eight times, while the Dodgers’ two championships against the Bronx Bombers came in 1981 and 1955.

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Ohtani, playing his first season with the Dodgers after agreeing to a record-breaking contract in free agency, had two hits and scored two runs in Game 6. He hit .364 with two homers and six RBIs in the NLCS. Not bad for his first postseason after spending six years with the Los Angeles Angels, who never had a winning record or reached the playoffs during his tenure.

“[The World Series is] the place that I’ve dreamt of playing all my life,” Ohtani said after the game, “and to be able to finally come to this stage and be able to play and hopefully win it is my next goal.”

The Dodgers briefly trailed 1-0 in the first inning before cleanup hitter Edman came up big. He drove in the Dodgers’ first four runs and his 11 RBIs in the NLCS tied a franchise record set by Corey Seager in 2020 against Atlanta. Edman joined the Dodgers at the July trade deadline from St Louis.

The Dodgers eliminated the Mets on their second try in the series. They outscored New York 40-26 in the six games. None of the games were close, with the Dodgers earning two shutouts. The Mets came within two wins of reaching the World Series after a 22-33 start.

The Dodgers led 2-1 in the first on Edman’s double into the left-field corner off Sean Manaea that scored Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández, who both singled. Hernández snapped an 0-for-18 skid in the NLCS. Manaea needed 34 pitches to get through the first.

Facing two strikes in the third, Edman sent a 406ft shot to left-center for a two-run drive. A walk to Max Muncy and two outs later, Smith homered to center off Phil Maton, extending the lead to 6-1.

The Mets cut the deficit to 6-3 in the fourth. With two out, Vientos hit a two-run homer – his fifth of the postseason – off Ryan Brasier. Vientos’ first career grand slam highlighted the Mets’ series-tying win in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium.

New York twice failed to cash in with the bases loaded, somewhat of a trend for the Mets this series. Trailing 6-3 in the sixth, Jesse Winker flied out against Evan Phillips to end the inning. Down a run in the third, the Mets loaded the bases against Anthony Banda only for Jeff McNeil to strike out swinging.