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Los Angeles Dodgers stars Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman scored off a Max Muncy hit in the first inning of the NLCS Game 1 to take an early lead against the New York Mets on Sunday.
Muncy stepped up for his first at-bat of the evening with the bases loaded and hit a single toward center field, allowing Betts and Freeman to score. With Freeman struggling with an ankle sprain, Betts' happiness for his teammate reaching home plate was clear to see.
So much so that Betts' wife Brianna reacted to the emotional moment with a "heart" emoji on Instagram as Betts hugged Freeman.
Mookie Betts was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 2011 MLB draft and made his major league debut with them in 2014. He soon became a regular in the lineup and helped them to a World Series title in 2018.
Having established himself as one of the best players of his generation, Betts was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. He won another World Series title in his first year in LA apart from several individual accolades.
In a season of high expectations for the Dodgers, their stars have delivered. After seeing off the San Diego Padres in the NLDS, they started strong with a 9-0 victory over the Mets in Game 1 of the NLCS.
Their big three Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts put in strong performances on the night.
Mookie Betts focused on World Series after three-run double secures 9-0 victory for the Dodgers
Mookie Betts stepped up for his fourth at-bat of the evening in the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded and hit a three-run double to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 9-0 lead.
It secured a convincing victory over the New York Mets in Game 1 of the NLCS. Speaking to MLB's Ken Rosenthal after the game, Betts said:
"We're going to win the World Series. That's our mindset."
Betts was also full of praise for teammate Freddie Freeman, who was playing with a sprained ankle but made a meaningful contribution.
