New York Yankees win AL pennant, head back to World Series for first time since 2009
For Yankees fans, a 15 year absence from the World Series feels like an eternity, but the Bombers are heading back to the big stage after beating the Guardians in the ALCS.
Sports Pulse
LOS ANGELES — The National League Championship Series is back in Los Angeles for Game 6 between the New York Mets and the Dodgers.
New York’s offense erupted with its season on the line with a 12-6 rout in Game 5 to send the series back to the West Coast. Now, the Mets will try to force a winner-take-all Game 7 while the Dodgers will try to clinch their spot in the World Series for the fourth time in eight seasons.
One side of the World Series is already filled out with the New York Yankees representing the American League. Now, the Bronx Bombers wait and see if they’ll head to Los Angeles for Game 1 of the Fall Classic on Friday, or if they’ll wait to see if they host the World Series opener in a postseason Subway Series.
Follow along for updates from Sunday’s game:
Mets trim lead with Mark Vientos homer
LOS ANGELES – Mark Vientos’ hot October continues and he keeps the Mets alive in Game 6 with a home run.
With Francisco Alvarez on base, Vientos hit a slider off Ryan Brasier 401 feet to center field, just over the wall for the two-run blast to make it 6-3. It’s the fifth home run for Vientos this postseason.
The Dodgers are hot.
Will Smith hit his team’s second two-run home run of the inning, this one off Phil Maton with two outs, sending the Dodger Stadium crowd into a frenzy and the Dodgers into the fourth with a 6-1 lead.
Tommy Edman stays hot, hits two-run home run: LA leads 4-1
LOS ANGELES — Tommy Edman is making a case for NLCS MVP.
He already had a two-run double in the first inning, and in the third with Teoscar Hernandez on base, he took a Sean Manaea fastball 406 feet to left-center field to make it a 4-1 game.
Edman now has a whopping 11 RBI this series, tying a Dodgers postseason record.
Manaea would walk Max Muncy the following at-bat, and that will end his night.
Mets leave bases loaded, still down 2-1
It’s only been three innings but the Mets have left plenty of base runners stranded.
New York was able to load the bases in the third inning with Jeff McNeil up to bat, but Anthony Banda got him to swing on a slider in the dirt to end the threat. So far, the Mets are 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and have left seven on base.
The Mets’ lead didn’t last long, thanks to a two-run RBI from one of Los Angeles’ hottest hitters in Tommy Edman.
Shohei Ohtani hit a single and Teoscar Hernandez just missed a home run two batter later, setting up Edman with runners at the corners. He fouled off three pitches from Sean Manaea, and on the sixth one, hit a liner to the left field corner, allowing both runners to score to make it 2-1.
Surprisingly, this is the first lead change of the series.
LOS ANGELES — New York is on the board in the first inning, getting to Dodgers pitcher Michael Kopech.
After Francisco Lindor walked on four pitches, a wild pitch moved him to second and a groundout by Brandon Nimmo got him to third. With two outs, Pete Alonso hit a flare in the infield and second baseman Chris Taylor couldn’t get an accurate throw to first, allowing Lindor to score and make it 1 -0. Taylor was charged with error on the play.
Dodgers vs Mets Game 6 time
First pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET.
- Location: Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 20
- Time: 8:08 p.m. ET
Dodgers vs. Mets Game 6 TV channel
- Francisco Lindor (S) SS
- Brandon Nimmo (L) LF
- Mark Vientos (R) 3B
- Pete Alonso (R) 1B
- Jesse Winker (L) DH
- Starling Marte (R) RF
- Tyrone Taylor (R) CF
- Jeff McNeil (L) 2B
- Francisco Alvarez (R) C
- Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
- Mookie Betts (R) RF
- Teoscar Hernández (R) LF
- Tommy Edman (S) SS
- Max Muncy (L) 1B
- Enrique Hernández (R) 3B
- Andy Pages (R) CF
- Will Smith (R) C
- Chris Taylor (R) 2B
Ryan Brasier had started the Dodgers’ first two bullpen games of the postseason, but Dave Roberts is going with Michael Kopech to begin Game 6. Kopech has been arguably the Dodgers’ best reliever since coming over from the White Sox at the trade deadline and is yet to give up a run in the 2024 postseason.
“I think we just all felt that it’s a part of a lineup that we like Michael,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained before the game. “He’s started games before. And just feel that it’s the best chance to put up a zero in the first inning and then move forward.”
“He just kind of ultimately he just felt, we felt, that giving him another day is best for him,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said pregame Sunay. “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.””
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