Mets vs. Dodgers score: Live updates as Mark Vientos slugs grand slam to help N.Y. try to even NLCS in Game 2

The Mets are responding to Game 1's blowout with a slugfest of their own

Major League Baseball's postseason continues on Monday with a pair of League Championship Series games. In the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers are attempting to build a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series against the New York Mets. Over in the American League, the New York Yankees will kick off their set against the Cleveland Guardians. 

The Dodgers, coming off a 9-0 victory in the series opener, opted for a bullpen game ahead of the travel day to New York. The Mets countered with veteran lefty Sean Manaea. Manaea has been fantastic since altering his arm slot and mechanics late in the year to more closely resemble Chris Sale.

Francisco Lindor led off the game with a home run off of opener Ryan Brasier, the first run allowed by Dodgers pitchers in 33 innings. An inning later, Mark Vientos clocked a grand slam off Knack to put the Mets up 6-0. The Dodgers finally got on the board in the fifth on a Max Muncy solo home run, then scored two more in the sixth to make it 6-3.

How important is Game 2? Of course, you don't need to know the empirical data to realize that a 2-0 lead is a hefty advantage, but just for posterity's sake: MLB teams that have taken a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series have then won the series 83.5% of the time, according to WhoWins.

CBS Sports will provide running commentary and analysis below throughout Game 2.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:31 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Reed Garrett is warming.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:30 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

Two on, no out

Ohtani walks and here comes Mookie Betts. The extra insurance run looms large as a homer would only cut it to one. 

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:29 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Ohtani is up with a runner on here in the ninth. If the Dodgers had held the Mets scoreless in the eighth, they could have the tying run up in the form of Betts. Instead, they'll need to do more work.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:29 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

Since I'm on the Nimmo beat, the Mets brought Harrison Bader in for defense for the ninth as usual, but swapped him in for Nimmo, not Starling Marte as they have regularly been doing.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:25 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Won't happen. We're heading to the bottom of the ninth. Pages, Ohtani, Betts due up, down by four.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:24 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Mets now with runners at the corners and two outs. Trying to tack on another run against Henriquez.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:21 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Mets add to their lead, it's now 7-3 in the ninth.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:19 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

Stolen base threat Pete Alonso

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:13 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

(Mookie Betts can though)

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:12 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

Secondary bonus of getting out of that inning? Ohtani can't tie the game when he comes up in the ninth.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:11 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Díaz gets a fly out and we're headed to the ninth. 

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:11 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

It is a small victory to get Edwin Díaz in the game and get a look at him. 

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:08 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

Max Muncy walked. I shouldn't have said "more than anything," because the most important thing is scoring runs to tie the game. And now the Dodgers have the trying run coming to the plate.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:08 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Mets going to the bullpen here with two down in the eighth. Tying run is up.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:04 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

Tommy Edman with a two-out hit. The task here more than baserunners is making sure the Mets have to deal with Shohei Ohtani again. 

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:01 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

Nimmo tracks that ball down in left and immediately comes up limping. A reminder that he recently revealed he's dealing with plantar fasciitis

Mets' Brandon Nimmo reveals plantar fasciitis diagnosis, but expects to stay in NLCS lineup vs. Dodgers

R.J. Anderson

[Oct 14, 2024 at 7:00 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Four outs.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 6:59 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Dodgers are down to their final five outs.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 6:48 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

It's Henriquez for the eighth. 

[Oct 14, 2024 at 6:41 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Four at-bats for Ohtani, all with the bases empty. That's good work by the Mets.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 6:41 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Maton being derricked here in the seventh.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 6:34 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

We're stretching in Los Angeles. It remains 6-3 Mets.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 6:33 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

I believe R.J. said this earlier, but it is really cool to see Honeywell out there after all the injuries he's gone through.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 6:32 pm ET · Dayn Perry]

Mets escape jam

The Dodgers pushed across a pair of runs in sixth to cut the Mets' lead to 6-3. Folks call that a potential save situation. Things from the standpoint of the Queenslanders could've been even worse, though, as the Dodgers had the bases loaded with one out. Reliever Phil Maton, however, was able to tease a double play off the bat of Enrique Hernández. Here's a look at the 5-4-3: 

The out calls at second and first were confirmed by replay. Inning over.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 6:29 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Probably worth noting that Honeywell continues to be the man on the mound for the Dodgers. He's nearing the 50-pitch threshold. 

[Oct 14, 2024 at 6:29 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Marte with a one-out double here in the seventh. Mets trying to rebuild their lead.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 6:24 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

It's 6-3 Mets through six innings here in Game 2.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 6:16 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Edman sneaks one through the right side. It's now 6-3 Mets.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 6:14 pm ET · Kate Feldman]

The MLB record for grand slams in a single postseason is five (2021 and 1998). We've already seen four this year.

[Oct 14, 2024 at 6:11 pm ET · R.J. Anderson]

Iglesias with an error. Dodgers have the bags full. Nobody out.