Mets’ Kodai Senga struggles with control, knocked out in 2nd inning by Dodgers in NLCS opener

AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kodai Senga knew something was off just before he took the mound in the National League Championship Series opener.

The New York Mets starter lasted just 10 batters and got only four outs, struggling with control as the Los Angeles Dodgers took a 3-0, second-inning lead on Sunday night.

“I tried to make some adjustments on the fly but obviously I wasn’t able to,” Senga said through an interpreter. “I’m just disappointed in myself that I wasn’t able to make adjustments.”

The Dodgers won 9-0. Game 2 is Monday afternoon.

The Japanese right-hander, making just his third start this year, walked four of his first eight batters, including three in a row in a 14-pitch span in the first inning. He threw strikes on three of his first 16 pitches and seven of 23 overall in the first inning.

“I think a lot of factors go into it but the biggest thing might be mechanical error,” Senga said. “Now I just need to reflect back on what happened and make adjustments so I can give a better outing next time.”

After the walks to Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández with one out in the first, Max Muncy hit a two-run single up the middle that scored Betts and a hobbling Freeman, who touched the plate with his left foot to protect his sprained right ankle.

Senga had a wild pitch in the first that allowed runners to move up and a pitch clock violation in the second. He was chased by countryman Shohei Ohtani, whose RBI single to right brought home Gavin Lux, who walked leading off.

“He didn’t have it,” rookie Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He didn’t have the life on his fastball and a lot of balls out of hand, non-competitive pitches, especially the split. You could tell that the way that they were taking those pitches they were balls out of the hand.”

Senga gave up three runs and two hits while throwing 10 of 30 pitches for strikes. Reed Garrett relieved.

Senga started Game 1 of the NL Division Series against Philadelphia and lasted two innings and 31 pitches. Senga missed nearly the first four months of the season with a right shoulder capsule strain. He made his only regular-season start on July 26, then missed the rest of the regular season with a strained left calf and right triceps tightness.

Senga’s fastball averaged 93.5 mph, down 2.3 mph from his season average. Mendoza said the team will see evaluate Senga responds in the next couple days.

“Day by day, and then we’ll see how we get to Game 5 or whatever the case might be,” he said. “But I think it’s going to come down to how he’s going to bounce back.”

Down 3-0, the Mets got singles from Jesse Winker and Jose Iglesias starting the fifth. Winker stopped between second and third, then continued toward third and was thrown out when center fielder Kiké Hernández threw to second baseman Gavin Lux, who relayed to third baseman Max Muncy.

“Off the bat I read first and third and then I kind of just got caught in no man’s land,” Winker said. “It was just a really bad, bad play by me. … Obviously the baserunning play kind of kicked the wind out of a potential rally. I think that’s what hurts the most.”

Hernández’s body weight went toward third as he swung his arm and threw to second, causing Winker to stop.

“Kiké’s heads-up kind of look — body going towards third and then throw behind the runner — just a heady baseball play,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB