Alvarez delivers 10th-inning RBI double and Mets overcome Ohtani’s heroics for 4-3 win over Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Francisco Alvarez drove in his first run in four weeks with a double leading off the 10th inning, and the New York Mets overcame Shohei Ohtani’s 23rd homer and tying sacrifice fly for a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night.

Francisco Lindor hit a leadoff homer and a 10th-inning RBI single for the Mets, who opened this National League Championship Series rematch with their eighth win in nine games.

Ohtani hit a 424-foot solo shot off Max Kranick in the seventh, getting his fifth homer in seven games to tie Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh for the major league lead with 23.

Tommy Edman singled and stole second to open the ninth before scoring on Ohtani’s flyout to deep left. Mets closer Edwin Díaz (3-0), pitching for the third time in four days, was handed his first blown save in 14 chances this season.

After Alvarez and Lindor delivered, José Castillo walked Freddie Freeman and gave up an RBI single to Andy Pages to open the 10th.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani at bat during the third inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Monday, June 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)

Castillo struck out Max Muncy, and Freeman got to third on pinch-hitter Will Smith’s flyout before José Buttó gloved Edman’s sharp grounder back to the mound to secure his first save of the season.

Paul Blackburn threw five scoreless innings of three-hit ball and struck out Ohtani twice in his first major league appearance since last August, when the Mets right-hander went down with a back injury before hurting his knee in spring training.

Dustin May yielded six hits over six resourceful innings for LA.

Lindor crushed May’s second pitch for his 14th home run of the year. Six are leadoff homers, tying Ohtani for the major league lead.

Key moment

New York Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo, left, Mets center fielder Tyrone Taylor and Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) high five after the final out in the tenth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Monday, June 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)

Alvarez got his first RBI in 57 at-bats since May 4 with his drive to right off struggling Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott (0-2). Lindor drove in pinch-runner Starling Marte three pitches later.

Key stat

The Mets have won their last 27 games in which Lindor homered. That’s the second-longest streak in major league history, trailing only the Brooklyn Dodgers’ 29-game streak when Carl Furillo homered from 1951-53.

Up next

Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (0-0, 4.91 ERA) makes his fourth start of the season Tuesday, facing Mets RHP Tylor Megill (4-4, 3.52).