Dodgers Take Game 3
The Dodgers took the third game of the 2024 NLCS, 8-0, behind a trio of home runs from Kiké Hernández, Shohei Ohtani and Max Muncy. The Dodgers 13 home runs are the most of any club this Postseason and the win marked their fourth shutout of October. Since the LCS moved to its current seven-game format in 1985, the winner of the third game of the NLCS has advanced to the Fall Classic 24 times (53.2%). Per Elias, in best-of-seven series, teams that go up 2-1, go on to win the series 70.2% of the time (106-45). In the LCS (AL or NL), a team up 2-1 in a seven-game series wins the series 73.3% of the time (44-16).
Spark Plug
Los Angeles jumped out to an early lead as Will Smith knocked an RBI single in the second inning and Teoscar Hernández came around to score on a sacrifice fly from Tommy Edman to make it 2-0. The Dodgers are now 71-16 when scoring first this season and have been dominant when leading after six innings, going 77-11 when leading after six innings; 79-8 when leading after seven innings; and 87-4 when leading after eight innings.
Blank ‘Em
The Dodgers tallied their fourth shutout of the Postseason tonight, after previously throwing shutouts in Games 4 (8-0) and 5 (2-0) of the NLDS and Game 1 (9-0) of the NLCS. The Dodgers are the eighth club to tally at least four shutouts in a Postseason joining the 2021 Braves (4 shutouts); the 2020 Braves (4 SHO); the 2016 Indians (5 SHO); the 2012 Giants (4 SHO); the 2010 Giants (4 SHO); the 1998 Yankees (4 SHO); and the 1905 Giants (4 SHO).
Los Angeles has claimed wins of 9-0 and 8-0 in this NLCS so far, marking the second time in LCS history (AL or NL) that a club has recorded two shutout wins while winning by at least eight runs. The Dodgers join the 1996 Atlanta Braves, who blanked St. Louis 14-0 and 15-0 in Games 5 and 7 of the NLCS.
Additionally, the Dodgers are the first club ever with at least three shutouts in a single Postseason in which they won by at least eight runs. Previously the 1996 Braves (see above) and 1960 Yankees, who won 10-0 and 12-0 in Games 3 and 6, respectively, of the World Series over Pittsburgh were the only clubs with multiple shutout wins in which they won by eight-or-more runs.
Do It With the Longball
Kiké Hernández extended the Dodgers’ lead with a two-out, two-run homer in the sixth inning to make it 4-0. His blast would have been a homer in five Major League parks, including Citi Field, Dodger Stadium, American Family Field, Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. It was his second blast of the Postseason after he hit a solo blast in Game 5 of the NLDS against San Diego.
Shohei Ohtani added his second longball of the Postseason in the eighth inning, ripping a three-run, no-doubt blast out to right field. It was the first time Ohtani batted with a runner on base in the game, and he continued to improve his numbers with runners on base this Postseason. He is batting .778 (7-for-9) with a homer, five RBI, three walks and a 1.943 OPS with runners on base this October compared to 0-for-22 (.000) with three walks with no runners on base.
Max Muncy closed the scoring with a solo shot in the ninth inning, marking his third homer of the Postseason. His 13 homers are now tied with Corey Seager and Justin Turner for the most in Dodgers’ Postseason history.
Hernández and Ohtani join Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernández and Muncy with multiple home runs this Postseason, marking the most Dodgers with multiple roundtrippers in a single Postseason since nine players had multiple home runs during the 2020 Postseason. Five of the Dodgers’ 13 home runs this Postseason have come with two outs, which are tied with the Padres for the most in October this year. The Dodgers 13 homers are now the most of any club this Postseason, surpassing the Padres’ 11 blasts.
Swing and a Miss
Walker Buehler generated 18 swing and misses tonight, marking his most in a start this season. Previously, he registered a season-high 14 swing and misses on September 21st against Colorado. Tonight marked his most in a start (regular or Postseason) since he generated 20 swing and misses on October 3, 2021 against Milwaukee.
Buehler’s 18 swing and misses were the most by a Dodgers pitcher in the Postseason since Max Scherzer generated 21 swing and misses in Game 3 of the 2021 NLDS. His 18 swing and misses are the fourth-most by a pitcher this Postseason, trailing Zack Wheeler (30, NLDS G1); Carlos Rodón (25, ALCS G1); and Sean Manaea (19, NLDS G3).
Take a Walk
The Dodgers drew seven walks tonight, bringing their series total up to 22 walks. 22 of their 35 walks this Postseason have come in the NLCS, drawing seven walks in Game 1, eight walks in Game 2 and seven walks tonight. The Dodgers’ 22 walks are tied for their second-most in a three-game Postseason span after they walked 22 times in Games 2, 3 and 4 of the 2017 NLCS against Chicago, and a franchise-record 23 times in Games
2, 3 and 4 of the 1974 NLCS against Pittsburgh. Houston has the most walks in a three-game Postseason span, drawing 24 walks in Games 2, 3 and 4 of the 1980 NLCS against Philadelphia.
Brrrrr
Tonight’s temperature at first pitch was a brisk 51 degrees (F). It was tied for the sixth-coldest first pitch in Mets’ Postseason history with another 51° game on October 31, 2015 in Game 4 of the World Series against Kansas City here at Citi Field. It was the fifth-coldest first pitch temperature in Dodgers’ Postseason history and their coldest since a 47° first pitch in Game 2 of the 2018 World Series at Fenway Park in Boston. The coldest Mets’ and Dodgers’ Postseason game came on the same day, October 8, 1988 when it was 43° at Shea Stadium to begin game 3 of the NLCS.
