NEW YORK (AP) — It is another outstanding autumn for Kiké Hernández. Placed last in the offensive order, the versatile Puerto Rican player hit another home run in the postseason — one that produced two runs in the sixth inning — and the Los Angeles Dodgers They strictly followed their script by beating the team 8-0 on Wednesday. New York Mets to take a 2-1 lead in the National League Championship Series.
Hernández disappeared it to left-center field against a splitter from reliever Reed Garrett for his 15th career home run in the postseason. He thus led the Dodgers to victory, putting them up 4-0, heading for their fourth shutout victory in their last five playoff games.
“That home run by Kiké was huge… it was the biggest hit of the game,” summarized Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
For a team with a starting rotation diminished by injuries, Los Angeles methodically fulfilled its roadmap: it got ahead early, Walker Buehler gave it a solid but short start and finally the insurmountable bullpen posted more zeroes.
And, of course, there was a new contribution from Hernández, who as he walked around the bases celebrated by waving his hands towards the fans whom he had just silenced with his hit.
At 33 years old, the Puerto Rican is playing in his ninth postseason — eight with the Dodgers and the other with the Boston Red Sox
“October, over the years, has brought out the best in me,” said Hernandez, who is hitting .333 this postseason with six runs scored and three RBIs. “Once things go well in October over and over again, you start to believe it and it becomes part of you.”
Hernández began the playoffs on the bench, but the injury to Venezuelan shortstop Miguel Rojas has led him to have more prominence. He started in center field on Wednesday.
By reaching 15 home runs in just 78 postseason games, Hernández established himself fourth in the all-time list of Puerto Rican players, behind Bernie Williams (22), Carlos Correa (18) and Carlos Beltrán (16).
What is the secret to your success in October?
Hernández credited it to a “little bit of luck” for being on teams that regularly compete in the playoffs but also to his Puerto Rican heritage.
“It has to do a little with my blood, with being Puerto Rican,” he said. “We in Puerto Rico have been in hot games since we were children, with the fathers and mothers of the opposing team singing songs… since we were children, dreaming and dreaming of being in situations like these and for things to turn out well for us.”
Ohtani brought the curtain down in the eighth when he hit the second home run of his first playoff experience, a shot that flew 410 feet to the second stand, barely missing the left foul pole.
Max Muncy homered for the second straight game, a solo shot in the ninth as the stands at Citi Field were already emptying.
After Los Angeles struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning, Walker Buehler struck out Francisco Lindor, causing him to swing a 3-2 curveball with the bases loaded in the bottom half.
“That was the pitch of the game,” Roberts said. “The fans had gotten into the game and were gaining momentum. Putting that breaking ball down in the zone was huge.”
Buehler went four innings, while four Dodgers relievers — Michael Kopech, Ryan Brasier, Blake Trainen and Ben Casparius — completed the four-hit, 13-strikeout shutout, bouncing back from the Game 2 loss at home.
Venezuelan Francisco Álvarez, the Mets’ ninth bat, struck out before Lindor’s turn in the second and ended up seeing the third strike pass in his three trips to the plate. New York left six runners stranded on the bases in the first three innings when the game was still close.
Mets starter Luis Severino took the loss after allowing two unearned runs in 4 2/3 innings. The Dominican walked four and Mets pitchers added seven to raise their total in the series to 22.
“This team has gotten used to taking hits and they have been able to recover throughout the season,” said Carlos Mendoza, the Venezuelan manager of the Mets.
The fourth match of the best-of-seven series will be this Thursday. The Dodgers will appeal to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Japanese they acquired for $325 million last winter. New York will have veteran Colombian lefty José Quintana.