MLB Playoffs: Dodgers set postseason record, beat Mets in NLCS Game 1 | MLB

Jack Flaherty combined for a triple and Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers tied the postseason record of 33 consecutive scoreless innings as they defeated the New York Mets 9-0 in the opening game of the NL Championship Series on Sunday night.

Los Angeles struck out a wild Kodai Senga in the second inning, built a six-run lead in the fourth inning, and tied the scoreless record set by Baltimore Orioles pitchers in the first four games of the 1966 World Series against the Dodgers.

Supported by “MVP! MVP!”, Shohei Ohtani was 2 for 4 with a walk while scoring two runs and driving in another.

Flaherty allowed two hits over seven innings in the Dodgers' first scoreless postseason start of more than seven innings since Clayton Kershaw's eight innings in the 2020 NL Wild Card Series. Flaherty left to a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 53,503. The 28-year-old right-hander from nearby Burbank returned home from Detroit at the July 30 trade deadline and was an integral part of a rotation hit hard by injuries.

Flaherty retired his first nine batters, extending the Dodgers' streak of consecutive hitters retired to 28, before leading off the fourth by Francisco Lindor. New York's only hits against him were two singles by Jesse Winker and Jose Iglesias in the fifth. Flaherty struck out six.

Lindor was 0 for 3 with a walk and a strikeout and Pete Alonso was hitless with a walk and a strikeout in three at-bats.

The Dodgers battled close to elimination against San Diego and won the NL Division Series in five games, with shutouts in the final two games.

They opened their quest for a record 25th. NL pennant by chasing Senga after an inning and a half of his third start in a year filled with injuries. The Japanese right-hander walked four of his first eight batters in the first inning, including three in a row in a 14-pitch span.

In the first inning, only seven of Senga's 23 pitches were thrown for strikes and he loaded the bases. Max Muncy hit a single up the middle, hitting Betts and a limping Freddie Freeman, whose left foot touched the plate to protect his sprained right ankle. He stumbled into the arms of Betts, who was supporting the much larger Freeman.

Ohtani chased Senga with an RBI single in the second and the Dodgers scored three runs in the fourth off David Peterson while Tommy Edman and Freeman had RBI singles.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series takes place on Monday.