The Los Angeles Dodgers got off to a strong start in the second half of the season, sweeping the New York Mets behind a solid pitching performance that allowed just one hit.
The Dodgers defeated the 메이저토토 Mets 6-0 on Friday (July 15) at Citi Field in Flushing, New York. The win was their fifth in a row, improving their record to 52-38 on the season and extending their lead in the National League West.
The Dodgers started Mookie Betts (second base), Freddie Freeman (first base), Will Smith (catcher), Max Muncy (third base), JD Martinez (designated hitter), David Peralta (left field), Jason Heyward (right field), James Outman (center field), Miguel Rojas (shortstop), and Julio Urias (starting pitcher).
The Mets countered with Brandon Nemo (center field), Tommy Pham (designated hitter), Francisco Lindor (shortstop), Yoenis Alonso (first base), Starling Marte (right field), Jeff McNeil (second base), Francisco Alvarez (catcher), Brett Betts (third base), Mark Canha (left field), and starting pitcher Max Scherzer.
In the first inning, both starting pitchers came out firing. Urias and Scherzer were the aces of the game, dominating the opposing bats and keeping the game close.
In the top of the fifth inning, with the scoreboard reading zero, the Dodgers broke through. After a one-out walk to Scherzer, Hayward, Outman, and Rojas drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Betts followed with an RBI single to make it 1-0 and Freeman followed with a two-run double to make it 3-0.
The final run came in the top of the sixth. With runners on first and second, Rojas hit an RBI single to make it 4-0. One out later in the eighth, Martinez took advantage of reliever Dominic Leon, hitting a solo shot to right-center field to make it 5-0.
With one out in the top of the ninth, Smith’s grounder to shortstop allowed Outman to score from third to make it 6-0.
The Dodgers were led by a complete-game shutout from Urias, who allowed just two runners on base over six innings, striking out seven and walking one to improve to 7-5 on the season.
Behind Urias, the bullpen did not allow a single hit or walk to preserve the win. Yancy Almonte (1 inning of scoreless relief), Caleb Ferguson (1 inning of scoreless relief), and Ryan Braazer (1 inning of scoreless relief) shut down the Mets offense. The pitching staff gave up just one hit, just missing a team no-hitter.
At the plate, Freeman had two hits, while Betts and Outman had multi-hit games to fuel the offense.
On the other side, Mets starter Scherzer struggled with his command, allowing three runs on five hits and six walks with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings to fall to 5-3 on the season. The loss snapped a three-game losing streak and dropped the team to 42-49 on the season, good for fourth place in the National League East.