LOS ANGELES — New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos, standing in the on-deck circle Monday afternoon, watched Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts put up four fingers, and his eyes immediately started filling with rage.

Sure, first base was open.

And yes, Francisco Lindor, the likely MVP runner-up, was at the plate.

Still, Vientos thought – dude, are you really going to load the bases to get to me in the second inning?

Didn’t the Dodgers know that Vientos just hit .563 with two homers and five RBI in the Mets’ four-game division series against the Philadelphia Phillies?

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And didn’t they know that while he may be in his first full season, he has the confidence of a 10-time All-Star?

“I took it personal,’ Vientos said. “I use it as motivation. I’m like, ‘Alright, you want me up, I’m going to show you.”

Vientos stepped to the plate and nine grueling pitches later, he jumped on Landon Knack’s 95-mph fastball.

“I hit a bomb,’ Vientos said.

Grand slam.

The first of Vientos’ career.

And the Mets had their first victory of the National League Championship Series, 7-3, over the Dodgers, in front of a stunned sellout crowd of 52,926 at Dodger Stadium.

The NLCS is now tied at 1-game apiece, with the next three at Citi Field in New York, where the Mets have played only two games in the last three weeks in their magical tour of the country.

“I want to go home,’ Vientos said. “Playing in front of the New York fans is the best. I’m excited to get back.’

The Mets boarded their plane, feeling rejuvenated once again, brimming with confidence, and believing their mojo is back.

They may still be the heavy underdog in the series. They don’t have three MVPs in their lineup. They didn’t spend $1.4 billion in free-agent acquisitions. And the best player in baseball, Shohei Ohtani. is on the other side.

Yet, they also know they completely shut down Ohtani on Monday, with starter Sean Manaea keeping him hitless, striking him out twice.

“I don’t think you’ve seen Ohtani look that way too often,’ Mets Manager Carlos Mendoza said.

Mookie Betts struck out three times. Freddie Freeman went 0-for-4.

The Mets even proved that the Dodgers suddenly-vaunted pitching staff can be vulnerable, ending the team’s record-tying 33-inning postseason with Lindor’s leadoff home run. They produced 10 hits and every player in their starting lineup got on base at least once.

It’s almost as if the Mets took it personally, too, listening to critics speculating Sunday night whether the Dodgers would sweep the series after a 9-0 blowout in Game 1.

“None of us are living in the past,’ Lindor said. “So, I think that’s something that’s helped us, not to stay in the past, but to stay in the present. Stay in the moment, stay the course and keep climbing.

“Nobody was really thinking about what happened.’

So there wasn’t too much pressure to win Game 2?

“There’s always pressure right?’ Lindor said. “Pressure is a blessing. I’d be lying to you if I say, ‘I have no pressure.’ You have pressure playing the game in this type of environment, playing this game this late in the season, there is pressure. You just have to stay within yourself, go out, and execute.’

Vientos, 24, optioned five times to the minors since his 2022 debut, and wasn’t called up to stay until May 15, knows all about pressure. He felt pressure every single day just to stay in the big leagues.

So when Knack intentionally walked Lindor, Vientos didn’t feel it. He just knew it was an opportunity to once again prove everyone wrong.

You want Vientos at the plate?

Now you got him.

“That’s the one thing that Mark doesn’t lack,’ Lindor said, “and that’s confidence. He’s a very confident baseball player. He believes in himself. …

“That’s who he is. I’m glad he took it personal.’

It looked like the tactic would work when Knack got ahead of Vientos on a 1-2 count. But Vientos stayed alive against Knack’s sliders, fouling off five pitches.

Knack, getting frustrated, tried to fool him by throwing a fastball.

He left it smack over the middle of the plate.

And Vientos sent it smack out over the middle of the right-center-field fence.

“I wasn’t going to miss it,’ Vientos said.

The crowd gasped. Knack groaned. And the Mets bench erupted.

They went up 6-0, and never looked back.

“That didn’t surprise me because ever since he got here,’ said Mets winning pitcher Sean Manaea, who gave up two hits in five innings, “he’s been doing some crazy things.’

Vientos, who hit .266 with 27 homers and 71 RBI despite his late arrival, believes he’s just getting started. He’s hitting .378 with three homers, 11 RBI and a 1.086 OPS this postseason. He is just one shy of the franchise record for RBI in a postseason with at least three playoff games remaining – and potentially a whole bunch more.

He struck out three times in the Mets’ Game 1 loss but didn’t lose his confidence, listening to the advice and soaking in the knowledge of veterans J.D. Martinez and Lindor.

“I’ve been a sponge around all these guys, all these guys with experience, All-Stars,’ Vientos said. “I’m very fortunate. I ask a lot of questions. I ask them, especially in times like this, just like, ‘Hey, how do I go about this?’

“I know J.D., he won a World Series, and he kind of like brings the guys together. He tells us just to keep our emotions even-keeled, especially if the opponent goes up and we’re down, or vice versa. We want to stay even-keeled throughout the whole game because the team that keeps their emotions the best are the ones that come out on top.

“So, I feel like that’s what I’ve been focused on.’

Really, it’s the Mets’ mantra.

They were 11 games under .500 in early June. They didn’t make the playoffs until Lindor’s game-winning home run the last day of the season. They were down 2-0 in the ninth inning of the final game in their wild-card series against the Milwaukee Brewers when Pete Alonso hit a game-winning, three-run homer.

And they were bludgeoned in Game 1 of this series, facing a pitching staff that had tied a major-league record with its 33 consecutive shutout innings.

“We’ve done that the whole year,’ Mendoza said. “We get punched in the face, and we continue to find ways to get back up.

“And it will continue to be that way.’’

Anyone want to doubt them now?

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Jets have an interim head coach, a new assistant calling plays as the de facto offensive coordinator, but the end of the first half of Monday night’s game against the Buffalo Bills was just a bit of Aaron Rodgers magic.

Rodgers, capping a well-played half, launched a last-second Hail Mary attempt that receiver Allen Lazard snatched away from Buffalo defenders for a 52-yard touchdown grab as time expired in the first half.

It was Rodgers’ fourth career successful Hail Mary touchdown pass, and his first with the Jets. The extra point closed Buffalo’s lead to three points, with the Bills leading, 20-17.

New York is playing its first game with Jeff Ulbrich as its interim head coach after Robert Saleh was fired earlier this week from the role. Ulbrich announced Thursday that Todd Downing, who had been serving as the team’s passing game coordinator, would be promoted to play caller, replacing Nathaniel Hackett.

The Jets responded with one of their best offensive halves of the season, putting up 225 yards of total offense and incorporating receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall, both of whom have had relatively slow starts to the season.

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Rodgers completed 23-of-35 passes for 294 yards with a pair of touchdowns, but had a crucial interception late in the 23-20 loss.

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The SEC and Big Ten are discussing a potential scheduling agreement that could lead to a significant increase in media rights revenue, further distancing the two super conferences from the rest of college football, four people with knowledge of the discussions told USA TODAY.

The people who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the conversations say the two super conferences could face off in as many as 12 to 16 regular-season nonconference games a year – or more – to determine the extent of the increase in media rights revenue.

The potential scheduling agreement is an answer to billions in lost revenue from the House legal case settlement of more than $2 billion to former players, and future revenue sharing with players of at least $20 million to $23 million annually beginning as soon as the 2025 season.

An industry source with knowledge of the process indicated the only way to maximize revenue is with an increased number of high-value nonconference games over a specific period of time – something that could be negotiated and contracted.

SEC, Big Ten aligning for new revenue frontier

The SEC and Big Ten played three nonconference games this season – Southern California vs. LSU, Alabama vs. Wisconsin and Texas vs. Michigan – and all three were among the top 10 in overall viewership in the first month of the season. But three games per season won’t change monetary deals the two conferences have with television partners ABC/ESPN (SEC) and Fox, CBS and NBC (Big Ten).

Double-digit games that can be promoted and sold as standalone events — like the annual Big Ten vs. ACC basketball challenge — and draw unique advertising dollars are appealing to broadcast partners.

There are still multiple hurdles to clear – including schedule structure, format of how games are paired and revenue distribution – but officials in both conferences see the potential agreement as an answer to the rapidly-changing financial landscape of college football.

Another possible revenue stream is private equity, but SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti said last Thursday that isn’t an option.

The two most powerful men in college sports met in Nashville last week, along with athletics directors and other conference administrators, to underscore a process that has picked up steam since the SEC and Big Ten announced in February they would work together as an ‘advisory group’ to help steer college sports through a tumultuous time of financial and operational uncertainty.

How much new revenue could a deal bring?

The House settlement and the projected future shared revenue with players mandates the desperate search for new – what one person called clean revenue.

How much new revenue? 

Enough to not miss out on a new revenue frontier, another industry person said.

But what looks like a simple tradeoff is not without unique circumstances: How many conferences games will the SEC and Big Ten play (eight or nine), and how many of the combined 34 teams will be available for the proposed games?

As important: How will the revenue be divided, and if the conferences pool non-conference games, are there advantages down the road to pooling media rights revenue and gaining even more financial stability?

Could the Big Ten and SEC at some point combine forces for a major rights deal across all multiple networks instead of cutting separate deals for each conference?

A Big Ten athletics director told USA TODAY Sports everything is on the table.

How Big Ten, SEC could change football schedules

The process begins and ends with structure. The Big Ten currently plays nine conference games, the SEC eight.

If the SEC moves to nine, a corresponding move could be as many as 12 new nonconference games between the leagues. If both move to eight conference games, there’s a possibility for as many as 20 or more.

Four schools in the SEC (Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky) have games against instate rivals from the ACC they want to protect, and Southern California (Notre Dame), Oregon (Oregon State) and Washington (Washington State) also have protected nonconference rivalries.

Those seven schools don’t want a future nine-game conference schedule that includes a nonconference game against current rivals, and another game from the new scheduling agreement. Such a move would leave each with only one flexible, money-making home game on the 12-game schedule.

Four of those schools (Florida, Georgia, USC, Oregon) are major TV draws and critical to any offer of nonconference games to media rights partners. 

“We had a pretty big discussion about the path to play each other more,” Petitti said after Thursday’s meeting. “See if you can figure out how you can actually do it. Decide what games you want, how many, but that’s a broad discussion.”

It’s also being done within an environment that clearly favors the two super conferences. Both have pulled away financially from the rest of the FBS conferences and would move further away with a nonconference scheduling agreement. 

But the last thing the Big Ten and SEC want is the optics of collusion. It’s no coincidence that both brought legal teams to last week’s meetings to steer clear of those potential problems.

‘Is there a way for us to be intentional about our scheduling?’ said Sankey, who was in Ann Arbor last month when Texas played at Michigan, and the moment was not lost. ‘Just an incredible experience. You stand on the sideline prior to kickoff thinking, ‘What if we can do this more with our nonconference games?”

LOS ANGELES — For 33 consecutive innings, Dave Roberts pushed all the right buttons as his pitching staff kept the Los Angeles Dodgers’ season alive and took a lead in the National League Championship Series.

But the New York Mets didn’t waver, finally able to crack through and steal Game 2 at Dodger Stadium to make it a 1-1 series with the next three games in New York.

For as much credit as New York deserves for getting to the Dodgers early – six runs scored in the first two innings – it was a questionable call for Roberts, going with a gameplan that was far different from the successful one deployed in the NL Divisional Series. 

In a must-win Game 4 against the San Diego Padres, Roberts went to his high-leverage arms early; Michael Kopech, Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips were all used by the sixth inning. 

Jjust like the previous bullpen game, went with Ryan Brasier to open on Monday, but this time he gave up Francisco Lindor’s leadoff homer. The knockout blow came against Landon Knack, a rookie whose first postseason experience came in the ninth inning of the blowout bullpen win in the last series. Knack gave up five runs in the second inning, capped off by Mark Vientos’ grand slam that wound up being all the runs the Mets needed.

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Roberts said prior to Game 2 that Knack would “take down most of the outs,” but it was a gutsy call to use him with Los Angeles already down in the game. Knack would pitch only two innings.

So why didn’t Roberts use the same strategy that worked before?

“I think in that situation, you still gotta be able to finish the game, and you’re talking about the second game right there, and so you have a guy on the mound that has to eat innings,” the Dodgers manager said. “Knack was going to have to pitch at some point in time.”

When asked about why he didn’t opt to use high-leverage pitchers like Kopech, Phillips or Blake Treinen, even though they hadn’t pitched since Friday, Roberts said he didn’t consider throwing them out early in the game. He also noted that Vesia is off the NLCS roster due to injury and Daniel Hudson was “down” for the contest.

“That’s probably the biggest kind of impetus for having to or knowing you’re going to have to take some outs from that or else you just can’t finish the game,” Roberts said.

Monday was a stern reminder of how much pressure a manager is under trying to maneuver through a bullpen game, let alone in the postseason. One day, it works perfectly and there’s praise. The next, it falls flat and the criticism starts to mount. 

“It all is great when it works well, and guys are throwing up zeros, but you’re still facing really good ball clubs, and there is a margin that you have to guard against and kind of really appreciate the cost of the next games,” Roberts said. “When you’re on the margins and you lose a couple guys – if guys aren’t available – you got to figure out how to get outs somehow.”

One bright spot for Los Angeles was the performance of reliever Brent Honeywell in the loss. A midseason addition who was designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates in July, he pitched three scoreless innings with two strikeouts that kept the Dodgers in striking distance.

Roberts applauded the performance from Honeywell, a former top prospect whose career has been derailed by four elbow surgeries. The pitcher said he didn’t know he’d toss three innings, but his mindset was to just keep the game from getting away.

‘(Roberts) felt like it was the best chance for us to win the game by leaving me in there and I’ll die on that hill any day of the week,” Honeywell said. 

With the series now tied at 1-apiece, it’s likely the Dodgers will go with another bullpen game at some point in the series. Walker Buehler is scheduled to pitch Game 3 and Yoshinobo Yamamoto will likely go Game 4, then either Jack Flaherty or a bullpen game in Game 5.

It’s uncertain how Roberts would approach another bullpen game given how things went in Game 2. He said it’s too early to determine that and he needs to “make sure that we learn from some of the things” that went wrong on Monday.

But the Dodgers manager is feeling good about the arms he has available. Yes, none of his more dominant bullpen arms were able to save Game 2, but he likes his chances of what they could do for three games in Queens.

“As far as kind of where we’re at, it never feels good losing, but to feel that you’ve got your high-leverage guys ready to go for the next three games, I feel really good about that,” Roberts said.

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With less than a month remaining until the NFL’s trade deadline, two teams on Monday orchestrated the first deal of the 2024 regular season.

The Jacksonville Jaguars agreed to send defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris to the Seattle Seahawks, the teams announced. The Jaguars will receive a 2026 sixth-round draft pick, according to multiple reports.

Robertson-Harris, 31, has served primarily in a backup role this season, playing 50% of the defensive snaps after being a starter the past three years for Jacksonville. He has five tackles and two sacks in six games.

Though he has two years remaining on his contract, he has no guaranteed salary beyond this season.

In Seattle, he should provide additional depth to a front that allowed the San Francisco 49ers to rush for 228 yards on 39 carries in the Seahawks’ 36-24 loss last Thursday.

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The 1-5 Jaguars will face more questions about which players – if any – will be traded ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline. While owner Shad Khan reiterated his support for coach Doug Pederson prior to Sunday’s 35-16 loss to the Chicago Bears in London, safety Andre Cisco said the team exhibited ‘a lot of quit’ in the game. Pederson, meanwhile, said the team had to change its culture.

(This story has been updated with new information.)

NEW YORK — With a pair of mighty swings, a sterling outing from their starting pitcher and yet another steely performance from their newly minted closer, the New York Yankees struck first in the American League Championship Series. 

Sluggers Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton each deposited baseballs into the bullpens beyond the outfield fence. Lefty Carlos Rodón allowed just three baserunners in three innings. And Luke Weaver put out an eighth-inning fire and recorded a five-out save as New York defeated the Cleveland Guardians, 5-2, in Game 1 Monday night at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees will send ace Gerrit Cole to the mound in Game 2 on Tuesday night, aiming to take a commanding 2-0 lead before the series shifts to Ohio. Yet they took care of a significant piece of business in grabbing the upper hand.

Rodón, the oft-disappointing $162 million starter, bounced back from a loss in the AL Division Series by keeping his emotions in check and subduing the Guardians. He retired 13 of the final 15 batters he faced, struck out nine and walked none in six innings. 

Soto staked him to a third-inning lead with a solo home run to right field in the third inning, and Stanton closed the scoring with a laser over the left field wall in the seventh. In between, Guardians starter Alex Cobb and reliever Joey Cantillo combined to walk six batters and Cantillo allowed two more runs in via wild pitches. 

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A trio of singles in the eighth inning created a brief fire, but Weaver – who turned in four spotless outings in New York’s 3-1 conquest of Kansas City in the AL Division Series, struck out pinch hitter Will Brennan and got Jose Ramirez on a soft grounder to second.

He then pitched around a walk in a scoreless ninth. 

Here’s how Monday’s game unfolded at Yankee Stadium:

Giancarlo Stanton home run makes it 5-1

Carlos Rodón stellar in Game 1; Yankees up 4-1 through six

NEW YORK – Carlos Rodón kept his emotions in check and then, not coincidentally, suppressed the Cleveland Guardians, too. 

Rodón, the Yankees’ $162 million import who has had an uneven first two seasons in New York, overcame a bumpy start and retired 14 of the final batters he faced Monday night as the Yankees took a 4-1 lead against Cleveland in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.

Rodón could not escape the fourth inning of his first postseason start this year, shutting down the Kansas City Royals for three innings but giving up a lead and the game in the fourth. It was the lone ALDS game the Yankees would drop.

Yet Rodón was on point in his ALCS debut, eschewing fist pumps for his strikeouts and opting for maximum efficiency instead. After allowing singles in slogging through the first two innings, Rodón was both quick and ruthless in the innings that followed. 

Ten-pitch innings in both the third and fourth. An 11-pitch fifth with two strikeouts. And, after allowing Brayan Rocchio’s leadoff homer in the fifth, he retired his final three batters of the night. 

On his 92nd pitch, Rodón broke Cleveland slugger Jose Ramirez’s bat with a 96-mph fastball. On the next pitch, Ramirez lashed a line drive to center field, but Aaron Judge galloped into the gap and ran it down. 

There was no exultation, no easily interpreted gleeful expletive captured by cameras. Just a point to Judge for a job well done. 

Rodón certainly did his, too: Six innings, nine strikeouts, no walks – and the Yankee bullpen aligned to close it out. 

Juan Soto homers, Yankees score more on wild pitches

NEW YORK – Juan Soto managed to eradicate a handful of failings with runners in scoring position with one swing of the bat. And the Yankees seized a commanding lead thanks to just one ball in play.

Soto drove an Alex Cobb sinker out to right field leading off the third inning to drive in the first run of Game 1. Cobb then walked three of the next five batters, ending his night after recording just eight outs, and lefty reliever Joey Cantillo then bounced wild pitches in the following two plate appearances, enabling Yankee behemoths Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton to chug home for a 3-0 lead. 

Cantillo escaped without more damage, but he and Cobb combined to allow nine baserunners in the first three innings. 

ALCS underway at Yankee Stadium

NEW YORK – Game 1 of the American League Championship Series is underway, and it might be a shaky night for the starting pitchers. 

Oh, neither the Cleveland Guardians nor New York Yankees scored in the first inning, but both starters struggled a bit through their opening frames in a series where starting pitching is, shall we say, not expected to dominate.

Rodon, who could not complete the fourth inning in his ALDS Game 2 start against Kansas City, needed 20 pitches to suppress Cleveland in the first inning, striking out Lane Thomas to strand David Fry at second base. Right-hander Alex Cobb, making just his fourth start of the season for Cleveland, gave up a first-pitch single to Gleyber Torres and another single to Juan Soto, but struck out Aaron Judge looking and got Austin Wells (groundout) and Giancarlo Stanton (high fly to left) to escape with no damage.

Welcome to New York: Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce at Yankee Stadium

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stage is being set up in Miami for her concerts this weekend, but it looks like the singer isn’t in Florida. She’s in the Bronx attending the New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians game with beau Travis Kelce.

The couple were spotted in one of the suites out toward right field. Swift sported a black cap and jacket. Kelce sported a black cap that read ‘Midnight Rodeo’ and dark jacket. Seated next to them was comedian Jerrod Carmichael.

– Bryan West

Guardians lineup: ALCS Game 1

Steven Kwan (L) LF
David Fry (R) DH
José Ramírez (S) 3B
Lane Thomas (R) CF
Josh Naylor (L) 1B
Jhonkensy Noel (R) RF
Bo Naylor (L) C
Andrés Giménez (L) 2B
Brayan Rocchio (S) SS

Yankees lineup for Game 1

Gleyber Torres (R) 2B
Juan Soto (L) RF
Aaron Judge (R) CF
Austin Wells (L) C
Giancarlo Stanton (R) DH
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L) 3B
Anthony Volpe (R) SS
Anthony Rizzo (L) 1B
Alex Verdugo (L) LF

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LOS ANGELES — Well, so much for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ clever strategy of using a bullpen game when they had a rested starting pitcher ready to go.

It blew up in their face.

Mightily.

The New York Mets battered the Dodgers in the early innings, hung on for a 7-3 victory, and fly out of town Monday with their carry-on bags filled once again with mojo.

They’ll go back home with the National League Championship Series at 1-game apiece, with the next three games at Citi Field in New York beginning Tuesday with Game 3.

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“Every time you get an opportunity to play in front of our fan base at Citi Field, especially the way they’ve been showing up, not only in the playoffs, but the last two months,’ Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said, “it’s electric. It’s intense. It’s fun.

“Really looking forward to it.’

GRAND SLAM: Mark Vientos ‘took it personal’ and made Dodgers pay

BULLPEN BACKFIRE: Dodgers unable to navigate another bullpen game

The Mets, who were left bruised after their 9-0 defeat in Game 1, got off the mat 17 hours later and delivered their own knockout punch.

It all started with, who else, Francisco Lindor, who was the best player in the National League this season not named Shohei Ohtani, who led off the game by hitting a towering home run to right field off Dodgers opener Ryan Brasier.

“I want to win it all’ Lindor said last week. “And ours will be a team that will forever be remembered. This will be a team that comes every ten years and eat for free everywhere they go.’

While Lindor’s homer set the tone, it was the Dodgers’ respect for him that broke the game open.

The Mets took a 2-0 lead on No. 8 hitter Tyrone Taylor’s one-out, run-scoring double in the second inning. Catcher Francisco Alvarez popped up for the second out, and with first base open, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts opted to intentionally walk Lindor.

That brought up third baseman Mark Vientos, who hit .563 with two homers and five RBI in the Mets’ four-game NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies, but who struck out three times Sunday in Game 1 against Jack Flaherty.

Vientos, who fell behind in the count 1-and-2 after three pitches, fought off slider and slider, battling Knack for eight pitches. Knack tried to fool him with a 95-mph fastball. He left it right over the middle of the plate, and Vientos took full advantage.

He smacked it over the right-center-field fence for a grand slam, giving him 11 RBI for the postseason, just one shy of the Mets’ franchise record.

Just like that, the Mets had a 6-0 lead, and Mets left-handed starter Sean Manaea did the rest, hanging on despite a defensive meltdown and hairy finish.

The Dodgers cut the deficit to 6-3, had 10 baserunners the last four innings, including the tying run at the plate in the eighth inning, but NL Division Series hero Enrique Hernandez flew out to right field.

The Dodgers, trailing 7-3, came back one last time in the ninth when the first two batters reached base. But Mets closer Edwin Diaz hung on, striking out Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernandez and Freddie Freeman.

Manaea overpowered the Dodgers lineup, giving up just a solo homer to Max Muncy in the first five innings, when he suddenly lost control of the strike zone. Then, his defense fell apart, too. 

After Manaea walked Betts and Teoscar Hernandez to lead off the sixth, Freeman hobbled to the plate, and with the sellout crowd of 52,926 chanting “Fred-die, Fred-die,’’ hit a sharp ground ball, but right towards second baseman Jose Iglesias for a tailor-made double-play. 

One problem: the ball squirted under Igelasias’ glove. 

That knocked Manaea out of the game, bringing in Phil Maton. He induced a pop-up from catcher Will Smith for the first out. Tommy Edman then hit a sharp ground ball towards the right side, and it clanked off first baseman Pete Alonso’s glove for two runs.

The Dodgers immediately loaded the bases when Muncy walked, bringing up Enrique Hernandez. He hit a grounder to Vientos at third base. He bobbled the ball and threw to Iglesias for the second out. Iglesias, who also struggled getting the ball out of his glove, threw to first to barely get Hernandez. The Dodgers challenged the calls at second and first, but the calls were confirmed, and Manaea celebrated by slamming the palm of his hand on the railing.

For Manea, it was sweet revenge.

He entered the postseason with a career 15.26 ERA, including a 7.09 ERA in 11 career starts against the Dodgers, and completed the latest chapter in his redemption tour.

Shohei Ohtani, who reached base four times in nine at-bats in his career against Manaea, went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.

Betts, who had three homers and a 1.153 OPS against Manaea, went hitless in two at-bats with a walk.

Freeman, who had a .839 OPS against Manaea, went hitless in three at-bats.

Will Smith, who was 9-for-18 against Manaea, went hitless in two at-bats with a strikeout.

Manaea, who certainly will opt out of his contract and become a free agent after the season, has been fabulous this postseason. He gave up two runs in five innings in the wild card series against the Milwaukee Brewers. He gave up three hits and one run in seven innings in the NL Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. And he gave up just two hits while striking out seven in Monday’s NLCS game.

“Some teams have had my number over the years,” Manaea said. “The baseball gods have given me the opportunity to go out there and prove again and again, just to be able to go out there and find some good results.’’

The Dodgers, buoyed by the fact that they managed to make it a game after being down six runs, now plan to go the traditional route the next three games. They’ll have Walker Buehler, who was rested and prepared to start on Tuesday in Game 3, Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 4 and back to Flaherty for Game 5.

And, of course, travel to New York with a rested bullpen.

“I think what we learned from last series is there’s a lot of capable guys in the pen,” Roberts said. “So for me, certainly in a longer series, you can use these guys whenever you feel. Just the level of trust is as high as it’s ever been. I think it’s working both ways.’’

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Here’s how Monday’s game unfolded, live updates by Jordan Mendoza

Mets add crucial insurance run in ninth

LOS ANGELES — New York made it a 7-3 game in the ninth inning with Starling Marte’s RBI single, scoring Pete Alonso just ahead of the throw at the plate

To the ninth: Mets 6, Dodgers 3

LOS ANGELES — New York will head into the final inning with a lead after keeping the Dodgers off the board in the eighth inning.

Tommy Edman and Max Muncy were able to get on base with two outs against Ryne Stanek, and Carlos Mendoza figured it was time to bring in Edwin Diaz for a four-out save. He came in and got Kiké Hernández to fly out to end the inning.

– Jordan Mendoza

Dodgers add two runs: 6-3 Mets through six

LOS ANGELES — Tommy Edman hit a grounder that got just past the glove of Pete Alonso to bring Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez in with the bases loaded after Phil Maton took over for Sean Manaea.

The Dodgers loaded the bases again after a Max Muncy walk, but Maton got Kiké Hernández to ground into an inning-ending double play to limit the damage. 

The Mets head into the seventh inning up 6-3. 

Sean Manaea removed in sixth

LOS ANGELES — It was a brilliant outing for Sean Manaea, but he will leave Game 2 in a jam.

He only gave up one run in five innings, but opened the sixth inning with back-to-back walks to Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez. Then Freddie Freeman, still on a severely injured ankle, grounded it to second base, but Jose Iglesias couldn’t field the ball cleanly, loading the bases.

Phil Maton is taking over for Manaea

Snake in the Dodgers dugout!

LOS ANGELES — There’s a snake in my… dugout?

As the Dodgers came off the field in the fifth inning, pitcher Brent Honeywell was headed into the dugout when he pointed to the stairs. A camera then showed a small snake was slithering its way around the Dodgers’ side of the field.

Someone from the team then grabbed the snake with a towel to remove it. 

Max Muncy home run gets Dodgers a run

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers are finally on the scoreboard after Max Muncy hit a home run to right field to make it a 6-1 ballgame after five innings. 

It’s only the second hit Los Angeles was able to get on Sean Manaea, who has seven strikeouts on the day.

Sean Manaea cruising vs. Dodgers

LOS ANGELES — Sean Manaea has historically struggled against the Dodgers, but he’s been nothing short of dominant early.

The Mets left-hander has six strikeouts through three innings with one hit allowed. He struck out Shohei Ohtani twice and struck out the side in the third inning.

– Jordan Mendoza

Dodgers escape bases-loaded trouble, still 6-0

LOS ANGELES — It’s been a rough start for Dodgers pitching so far on Monday, but they avoided further damage by getting out of a jam unscathed.

Landon Knack loaded the bases but didn’t let anyone score, getting Francisco Alvarez to fly out to center field with two outs. The score remains 6-0 New York headed into the bottom of the third.

– Jordan Mendoza

Mark Vientos grand slam: Mets up 6-0

LOS ANGELES — The New York offense has entered Game 2 with a bang.

Mark Vientos took a 3-2 pitch with two outs and the bases loaded to right center field for a grand slam and gave the Mets a commanding 6-0 lead in just the second inning. Earlier in the inning, Tyrone Taylor hit an RBI double for the Mets’ second run.

Landon Knack gave up the grand slam after replacing Ryan Brasier to start the second inning.

Francisco Lindor home run leads off Game 2

The Dodgers’ record-tying 33-inning scoreless streak came to an end with the first batter of Game 2, as Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor launched a solo home run to right field off Ryan Brasier.

The Dodgers hadn’t surrendered a run since the second inning in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Padres.

Mets lineup for Game 2

Francisco Lindor (S) SS
Mark Vientos (R) 3B
Brandon Nimmo (L) LF
Pete Alonso (R) 1B
Starling Marte (R) RF
Jesse Winker (L) DH
Jose Iglesias (R) 2B
Tyrone Taylor (R) CF
Francisco Alvarez (R) C

Dodgers lineup: NLCS Game 2

Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
Mookie Betts (R) RF
Teoscar Hernández (R) LF
Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
Will Smith (R) C
Tommy Edman (S) SS
Max Muncy (L) 3B
Enrique Hernández (R) 2B
Andy Pages (R) CF

Dodgers put on ‘pitching clinic’ in Game 1 win

LOS ANGELES — Jack Flaherty grew up in Los Angeles. He pitched at Dodger Stadium in high school, and dreamed one day of being a Dodger.

Still, even in his wildest dreams, he never quite envisioned a night like this.

Flaherty, in one of the finest pitching performances in Dodgers postseason history, gave up just two hits in seven shutout innings, leading the Dodgers to a 9-0 rout Sunday night over the New York Mets in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium.

“It was,’ said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, “just a pitching clinic.’

– Bob Nightengale

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