'Locked in:' Dodgers pitching staff keeps rolling vs. Mets in NLCS Game 3

NEW YORK − Hey, wasn’t the Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitching staff supposed to be a complete mess in the postseason?

Weren’t the Dodgers headed for another playoff exit because they had only three healthy starters?

They had better pitchers on their injured list than on the active roster, right?

Well, who’s laughing now?

The Dodgers delivered their fourth shutout in the past five postseason games Wednesday night with a 8-0 rout over the New York Mets at Citi Field, taking a 2-1 lead in this National League Championship Series.

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They are halfway to the World Series.

“I don’t think we took it personally,’’ said Dodgers reliever Michael Kopech, the winning pitcher, “but you know, we kind of did.

“Pretty cool to see what we’re doing.’’

Historic, too.

The Dodgers are the eighth team in postseason history to produce four shutouts, just one shy of Cleveland’s five shutouts in 2016.

“It’s really satisfying,’’ Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen said, “but it’s no crazy formula. Our defense has been playing great behind us. The offense makes it a lot easier for us because they get the early lead.

“Really, we just don’t let it get bigger than it is. We’re not afraid to make big pitches in big spots.’’

Simply, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says: “These guys are locked in.’’

It’s not as if the Dodgers have Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale on the mound. Don Newcombe isn’t around. Orel Hershiser is long retired. Clayton Kershaw is on the injured list.

Yet, here is Walker Buehler, who was 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA in 16 starts this season, shutting down the Mets for four innings. Kopech, Ryan Brasier, Treinen, all castoffs from other teams, pitched three shutout innings. And rookie Ben Casparius, who was pitching for the University of Connecticut three years ago, closed it out with two more shutout innings.

“Walker,’’ said Max Muncy, who tied the Dodgers’ franchise record with his 13^th postseason home run, “was Walker Buehler. That’s exactly what we expected. He definitely had the attitude and the emotion."

Really, it’s the same with the entire Dodgers’ pitching staff. The only folks at 41 Seaver Way not even mildly surprised were the guys dressing in the visiting clubhouse at Citi Field.

“I wasn’t,’’ Dodgers All-Star right fielder Mookie Betts said. “Those dudes work hard. They play the game the right way. They go about everything the right way. And so what they’re doing now is awesome to be a part of.

“Everybody goes through their ups and downs, but we all believe in each other, and it’s showing right now.’’

The Dodgers are doing it the unconventional way, with Jack Flaherty their only starter who has gone past five innings this postseason, three times using bullpen games, but it’s working to perfection.

“We knew the bullpen was going to be relied on heavily in the postseason,’’ Kopech said. “So we wanted the ball. We knew we could do this. Really, there was no doubt.’’

The Mets had their chance in Game 3, particularly in the second inning when they had the bases loaded and only one out against Buehler, but then he struck out Francisco Alvarez looking at a 94-mph fastball and then fooled Francisco Lindor on a 3-and-2 curveball, ending the inning.

“There’s certain guys that are able to perform at certain moments,’’ Muncy said, “and he’s definitely one of them. He’s always been one of them. There’s never a moment that gets too big for him.’’

The Mets were never the same again. They managed just two hits the rest of the game and produced only four hits in the game. In the Mets’ two losses, they’ve been outscored 17-0, with only seven singles and no extra-base hits.

“When you’re facing a pitching staff like that,’’ Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said, “it's going to be hard at times. We are creating traffic. I like the fact that we are getting guys on base. Just haven't been able to come up with a big hit. …

“I'm going to continue to ride our guys. They got us here. They will continue to step up.’’

Well, the Mets better turn it around in a hurry or those Subway Series plans will go up in flames.

In the words of Betts: “In a time like now, there’s not very many tomorrow’s. They run out pretty quick.’’

The Dodgers know the feeling of urgency themselves. They were on the brink of elimination in the NL Division Series against San Diego, but came back to shut out the Padres in the final two games.

They came to New York for the first time in the NLCS since 1988, but with the raucous sellout crowd of 43,883 on hand at the start of the game, headed to the exits the moment Enrique Hernandez hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning for a 4-0 lead. It turned into a rout when Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run shot in the eighth, followed by Muncy’s homer in the ninth.

“Just having a two-run lead with a team like this,’’ Kopech said, “you feel like you have a lot of cushion. I don’t think the games even feel close unless we’re in a 0-0 ballgame. That’s how much confidence we have.

“Right now, I feel like we have the upper hand on pretty much anybody.’’

Even in New York, there may not be a soul who dares to disagree.

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