The New York Mets’ Mark Vientos, right, celebrates after hitting a grand slam as Dodgers catcher Will Smith looks on during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Dodgers relief pitcher Brent Honeywell throws to the plate during the fifth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor begins to run the bases as he watches the flight of his solo home run during the first inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County register/SCNG) The New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor begins to run the bases after hitting a solo home run off of the Dodgers’ Ryan Brasier, back, during the first inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County register/SCNG) The New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor gestures after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County register/SCNG) The New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County register/SCNG) Dodgers opening pitcher Ryan Brasier throws to the plate during the first inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor gestures after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County register/SCNG) New York Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea throws to the plate during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Relief pitcher Landon Knack #96 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to the plate against the New York Mets in the second inning of game 2 of a National League Championship Series playoff baseball game at Dodger Stadium on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County register/ SCNG) The New York Mets’ Mark Vientos hits a grand slam during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The New York Mets’ Mark Vientos hits a grand slam during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The New York Mets’ Mark Vientos hits a grand slam during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Dodgers relief pitcher Landon Knack, left, reacts after giving up a grand slam to the New York Mets’ Mark Vientos, right, during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The New York Mets’ Mark Vientos watches the flight of his grand slam during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The New York Mets’ Mark Vientos begins to run the bases as he watches the flight of his grand slam during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The New York Mets’ Mark Vientos runs the bases after hitting a grand slam during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The New York Mets’ Mark Vientos runs the bases after hitting a grand slam during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The New York Mets’ Mark Vientos (27) crosses home plate after hitting a grand slam as Dodgers catcher Will Smith, right, and relief pitcher Landon Knack, front, look on during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, right, along with pitching coach Mark Prior look on from the dugout after the New York Mets’ Mark Vientos (not pictured) hit a grand slam to give the Mets a 6-0 lead during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The New York Mets’ Mark Vientos, left, celebrates with teammates after hitting a grand slam as Dodgers catcher Will Smith looks on during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Dodgers relief pitcher Landon Knack throws to the plate during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani strikes out during the third inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Dodgers relief pitcher Anthony Banda throws to the plate during the fourth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Dodgers relief pitcher Anthony Banda throws to the plate during the fourth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso reacts after striking out looking during the fourth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Dodgers relief pitcher Brent Honeywell throws to the plate during the fifth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, right, looks on from the dugout during the fourth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The Dodgers’ Max Muncy hits a solo home run during the fifth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The Dodgers’ Max Muncy watches the flight of his solo home run during the fifth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The Dodgers’ Max Muncy watches the flight of his solo home run during the fifth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The Dodgers’ Max Muncy watches the flight of his solo home run during the fifth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The Dodgers’ Max Muncy runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The Dodgers’ Tommy Edman hits a two-run single during the sixth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The Dodgers’ Tommy Edman hits a two-run single during the sixth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The Dodgers’ Tommy Edman hits a two-run single during the sixth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The Dodgers’ Tommy Edman runs after hitting a two-run single during the sixth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani reacts as teammate Tommy Edman (not pictured) hits a two-run single during the sixth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Dodgers outfielder Kevin Kiermaier reacts in the dugout as teammate Tommy Edman (not pictured) hits a two-run single during the sixth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts (50) and Teoscar Hernández, top right, are greeted as they return to the dugout after scoring on a two-run single by Tommy Edman during the sixth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman kneels at first base during a New York Mets pitching change in the sixth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) The Dodger drum is played prior to game 2 of a National League Championship Series playoff baseball game between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County register/ SCNG) Show Caption1 of 42The New York Mets’ Mark Vientos, right, celebrates after hitting a grand slam as Dodgers catcher Will Smith looks on during the second inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/SCNG) Expand LOS ANGELES — Johnny Wholestaff didn’t have his best stuff on Monday. The same bullpen game strategy that gave the Dodgers life in the National League Division Series did the same for the New York Mets in Game 2 of the NL Championship Series. The Mets scored six times in the first two innings and held on to even the series with a 7-3 victory over the Dodgers. After a dominant 9-0 Dodgers win in Game 1, the Mets stole home-field advantage in the best-of-seven series which now moves to Citi Field in New York for Games 3, 4 and 5 beginning Tuesday. The Dodgers’ postseason record-tying streak of 33 consecutive scoreless innings barely survived the National Anthem on Monday. Francisco Lindor hit a leadoff home run off of Dodgers’ ‘opener’ Ryan Brasier. The Dodgers have had to resort to bullpen games in both rounds of the postseason because they have just three healthy starting pitchers – who they trust. Rookie right-hander Landon Knack ended the season in the Dodgers’ starting rotation. But they are not willing to start him in the postseason. Instead, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts gave him the ball in the second inning, hoping for Knack to absorb a few innings in a ‘bulk’ role. It was the first big mistake of  the postseason for Roberts, who has had to pick his way through a minefield of pitching decisions. Knack gave up a single, a walk and a double in the first four batters he faced. With two outs, the Dodgers intentionally walked Lindor to load the bases. Knack got ahead of the next hitter, Mark Vientos, 1-and-2, but Vientos fought his way back into the count. On the ninth pitch of the at-bat, Knack left a fastball over the heart of the plate and Vientos lined it into the right field pavilion for a grand slam. The Mets loaded the bases against Knack again in the third inning but he escaped without damage. After Dodgers pitchers held batters to a .127 average (14 for 110) during their 33-inning scoreless streak, the Mets went 6 for 14 to start Game 2. The relief relay that followed Knack was not a reprise of the group that put up zeroes in the NLDS. It didn’t include the high-leverage core of the Dodgers’ bullpen as Roberts held them back for a lead that never came. Anthony Banda, Brent Honeywell Jr. and Edgardo Henriquez held the Mets scoreless until Henriquez gave up a run in the ninth. But the Dodgers’ offense was fueled more by Mets pitching (eight walks) than their own swings (five hits) and couldn’t get enough going to come all the way back. A 6-0 headstart would not have been insurmountable against left-hander Sean Manaea, who had a career record of 1-5 with a 7.09 ERA in 11 career appearances against the Dodgers. This was not that Manaea. 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Max Muncy led off the fifth with a solo home run to get the Dodgers on the board. When Manaea walked the first two batters in the sixth and second baseman Jose Iglesias booted a double play ball, the bases were loaded with no outs and Manaea’s day was done. Tommy Edman greeted Mets reliever Phil Maton with a two-run single, the ball glancing off Pete Alonso’s glove and into right field. A Muncy walk re-loaded the bases but Kiké Hernandez bounced into an inning-ending double play. Hernandez had another chance to grab the hero role in the eighth inning. He came up with two runners on and two out but flew out to right field against Mets closer Edwin Diaz. The Dodgers stranded two more runners in the ninth against Diaz. More to come on this story.