In a commanding 9-0 victory over the New York Mets, the Dodgers showcased their postseason dominance, tying a scoreless innings record and proving that pitching is the new black in baseball this October.

With this triumph, the Dodgers not only extended their scoreless innings streak to 33—tying the Orioles' 1983 record—but also affirmed their status as the team to beat this postseason, as even a sprained ankle couldn't stop Freddie Freeman from contributing to the rout. As they head into Game 2, the Mets will need more than a strategic game plan to overcome this pitching juggernaut that retired a jaw-dropping 27 batters in a row.

The day was marked by the notable performance of Jack Flaherty, who pitched an impressive seven innings. Flaherty allowed only two hits and struck out six, effectively making the Mets' lineup resemble a group of top amateurs at a family barbecue rather than seasoned professionals in the National League Championship Series.

Flaherty’s poise on the mound was complemented by a supporting cast that could only be described as ruthlessly efficient. The Dodgers' pitchers collectively created a wall on the field, retiring 27 consecutive batters and frustrating any attempts by the Mets to adjust their strategy. Perhaps the Mets should have consulted a decoder ring before stepping up to the plate, as nothing they tried seemed to work.

At the plate, the Dodgers were equally unyielding. Mookie Betts made his presence known with a bases-clearing double in the eighth inning, reminiscent of a well-crafted Rube Goldberg machine; it took some time, but it ultimately led to a big payoff. His timely hit contributed to the victory, leaving the Mets with mere statistical footprints in the scorebook.

The pitching duel took a sharp turn early on as Mets' starting pitcher Kodai Senga found himself in deep water, having been pulled after just two innings with three runs allowed. It seemed Senga’s outing was less a pitching performance and more an audition for a role in a cautionary tale about overexerting oneself when the stakes are high. Unfortunately, he clearly hadn’t read the script.

As if piled-on embarrassment weren't enough, the Dodgers' shutout victory marked their third consecutive one this postseason. Since the establishment of sophisticated stats, it has been noted that not even the best rumors can overshadow thirty-three consecutive scoreless innings. The last team to achieve a similar postseason shutout performance was the 1984 Chicago Cubs, which is certainly a nostalgic blast from the past—though perhaps not one the Mets want to reflect on too closely.

Freddie Freeman, playing on a severely sprained ankle, distinguished himself not just by his presence taking up space on the diamond but also by securing two hits. Apparently, pain is just a state of mind for Freeman, who navigated the field with a resilience that would leave many gym enthusiasts scratching their heads. With a performance like that, one might suspect he has a secret stash of magic potions in his locker.

The Dodgers' performance in Game 1 of the NLCS paints a vivid picture of superiority, setting the stage for the upcoming Game 2 at Dodger Stadium. It’s widely accepted that the Mets will need a miracle akin to a scene from a feel-good sports movie to regain confidence—unfortunately for them, their cinematic luck has been decidedly absent throughout this series.

As both teams prepare for the next game, it remains to be seen whether the Mets can find their footing or if they will continue to stumble under the weight of the Dodgers' impressive performance. Given the way this postseason has gone so far, fans are eagerly waiting to see if the Dodgers can keep this new trend of suffocating their opposition going. After all, 33 consecutive scoreless innings might just be a figure worth striving toward on a quiet October night.