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From Bill Plaschke: It wasn’t a baseball game, it was a sucker punch.

The New York Mets sneaked up on the Dodgers in broad daylight Monday and knocked them flat, swiping the assuredness off their face and sending them tumbling into Queens.

Two games in, the National League Championship Series has now been transformed into something few thought it would ever be, something that should make Dodger fans knot those blue rags around their numbing fingers.

This series is now, well, a series.

The Mets created one by storming out of the dugout with bats flying and arms cooking, pushing Dodger manager Dave Roberts into another controversial playoff pitching decision, breaking down the powerful Dodger bats, generally bringing chaos to an overheated Chavez Ravine and stealing away a 7-3 victory in a Game 2 that tied the NLCS at one game apiece.

“They hit us back,” Dodgers catcher Will Smith said.

It was a stunning reversal of fortune for a Dodger team that was playing like it had non-refundable reservations for the World Series.

Less than 24 hours after looking like they’ll be playing in November, it’s possible their season might not last the week.

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Dodgers box score

Bullpen game blows up in grand fashion as Dodgers lose to Mets in NLCS Game 2

‘Always bet on that guy’: Why the Dodgers have confidence in Walker Buehler

Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw intends to return for 2025 season: ‘Mentally, I feel great’

Teoscar Hernández’s agent fires back at critics of one-year Dodgers deal: ‘Who’s laughing now?’

MLB POSTSEASON SCHEDULE

All times Pacific

NLCS
No. 1 Dodgers vs. No. 6 NY Mets
at Dodgers 9, New York 0. (box score)
New York 7, at Dodgers 3. (box score)
Wednesday: Dodgers at New York, 5 p.m., FS1
Thursday: Dodgers at New York, 5 p.m., FS1
Friday: Dodgers at New York, 2 p.m., FS1
*Sunday: New York at Dodgers, 5 p.m., FS1
*Monday: New York at Dodgers, 5 p.m., FS1/Fox

ALCS
No. 1 NY Yankees vs. No. 2 Cleveland
at New York 5, Cleveland 2 (box score)
Tuesday at New York, 4:30 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
Thursday at Cleveland, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
Friday at Cleveland, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
*Saturday at Cleveland, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
*Monday at New York, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
*Tuesday, Oct. 22 at New York, 4:30 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX

*-if necessary

RAMS

From Gary Klein: During his first 15 NFL seasons, Matthew Stafford’s teams experienced scheduled off weeks at various junctures.

Three times they arrived as early as Week 5; once as late as Week 10.

With the Rams 1-4 after an Oct. 6 defeat to the Green Bay Packers, their star quarterback was asked if their Week 6 time off was coming at a good time.

“I don’t know,” Stafford said. “We’ll see.”

That’s a perfect mantra to accompany the Rams through their remaining 12 games.

On Sunday, when they play the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium, we’ll see if coach Sean McVay devised a workable plan to once again turn around a team on the brink of falling out of the playoff race.

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Rams’ Matthew Stafford appears ‘back’ to health, but Cooper Kupp’s return is up in air

CHARGERS

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Sitting in the next seat over on the Chargers’ plane returning from Denver, Jim Harbaugh elbowed Ben Herbert. Harbaugh wasn’t in need of help from the team’s executive director of player performance after the head coach had suffered a worrisome issue with an irregular heartbeat during the 23-16 win.

The Chargers coach just wanted Herbert to watch a spectacular third-down play quarterback Justin Herbert made during the game.

Shaking off a scary incident that required paramedic help in Denver, Harbaugh got straight back into his normal groove right after the win. A cardiologist appointment Monday confirmed the 60-year-old experienced a third episode of atrial flutter, a heart rhythm disorder he first faced in 1999.

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LAKERS

From Dan Woike: LeBron James had competed against Stephen Curry, fought against him and the Golden State Warriors for NBA titles over a defining chapter in the league’s history.

Until this summer, they had never really played together. After winning gold during the Paris Olympics — an experience that saw Team USA tested in the kind of ways competitors like James and Curry crave — perspectives evolved.

“It was everything and more. I was super excited to be able to finally team up with him in a win-or-die type atmosphere,” James said of the experience. “That’s what it was, being a part of the Olympics. It was everything that I dreamed of and aspired to want to be a part of that team, along with Steph. Great memories. Something that I’ll remember from my basketball career for the rest of my life, for sure.”

It’s a safe bet that the memories won’t affect the competition when the Lakers and the Warriors face off again, which will happen for the first time Tuesday during a preseason game in Las Vegas. But the success and images of James and Curry celebrating together have had people wondering if there’s a way the two could be co-workers again.

“I have no idea,” James said. “I have no idea.”

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CLIPPERS

From Broderick Turner: The Clippers played their first game at the Intuit Dome, their new home in Inglewood, in a preseason contest Monday night against the Dallas Mavericks, and they did so without Kawhi Leonard — again.

The Clippers have one preseason game left to play, against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night that will be in owner Steve Ballmer’s new $2-billion palace, but will Leonard be on the court?

“He won’t play Thursday,” Lue said.

That’s because Leonard still is dealing with inflammation in his right knee.

With the Clippers playing their regular-season opener at home on Oct. 23 against the Phoenix Suns, Lue was asked what the plan is for Leonard going forward.

“Continue to keep rehabbing, keep getting better and keep checking the boxes,” he said.

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KINGS

Josh Norris capped a two-goal effort with the game-winning goal 56 seconds into overtime Monday as the Ottawa Senators beat the Kings, 8-7.

Zack MacEwen also had a pair of goals for the Senators, with Jake Sanderson, Drake Batherson, Thomas Chabot and Claude Giroux also scoring.

Ottawa’s Anton Forsberg surrendered three goals on nine shots before being replaced by Mads Sogaard, who was recalled on an emergency basis Monday morning and allowed four goals on 17 shots.

Kevin Fiala and Alex Laferriere each scored twice for the Kings. Trevor Lewis, Adrian Kempe and Tanner Jeannot also scored. Darcy Kuemper made 33 saves in a losing effort.

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Kings summary

NHL scores

NHL standings

WNBA FINALS

All times Pacific

No. 1 New York vs. No. 2 Minnesota
Minnesota 95, at New York 93 (OT)
at New York 80, Minnesota 66
Wed. at Minnesota, 5 p.m., ESPN
Friday at Minnesota, 5 p.m., ESPN
*Monday, Oct. 21 at New York, TBD

*-if necessary

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1933 — The Philadelphia Eagles play their first NFL game and suffers a 56-0 loss to the New York Giants.

1961 — Mickey Wright wins her third LPGA Championship with a rout, nine strokes ahead of Louise Suggs. Wright shoots a 3-over, 287 at the Stardust Country Club in Las Vegas for her third major title of the year and her tenth tour victory of the season.

1972 — Stan Mikita of the Chicago Blackhawks becomes the sixth NHL player with 1,000 career points. Mikita assists on Cliff Koroll’s goal in a 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues at Chicago Stadium.

1983 — The Chicago Blackhawks and the Toronto Maple Leafs score five goals in 1 minute, 24 seconds to set an NHL record for the fastest five goals by two teams. The Maple Leafs win, 10-8.

1988 — Oklahoma rushes for an NCAA-record 768 yards, including 123 by quarterback Charles Thompson. Thompson scores three touchdowns and passes for one in the first period of a 70-24 rout of Kansas State.

1988 — Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores eight points — two goals and six assists — in a 9-2 win over the St. Louis Blues at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh.

1989 — Wayne Gretzky of the Kings passes Gordie Howe as the NHL’s all-time leading scorer in a during a 5-4 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers. Gretzky flips a backhand shot past Oilers goaltender Bill Ranford with 53 seconds remaining to tie the score and pass Howe with 1,851st point. Gretzky wins the game in overtime.

1995 — The Carolina Panthers beat the New York Jets 26-15 for their first NFL victory.

2005 — USC’s Matt Leinart pushes and spins his way into the end zone with three seconds left to cap a chaotic finish to the top-ranked Trojans’ 28th straight victory, a back-and-forth 34-31 win over No. 9 Notre Dame.

2008 — Fabian Brunnstrom scores three goals in his NHL debut to match the league record in Dallas’ 6-4 victory over Nashville.

2009 — Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom becomes the first European defenseman and eighth overall to reach 1,000 points, assisting on two goals in the Red Wings 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings.

2012 — The Nets bring pro sports back to Brooklyn with a preseason victory, beating the Washington Wizards 98-88 in the first basketball game at the Barclays Center.

2015 — Carey Price makes 25 saves and the Montreal Canadiens make team history by starting a season with a five straight wins, the latest a 3-0 victory over the New York Rangers.

2017 — New England quarterback Tom Brady passes for 257 yards with two touchdowns in the Patriots’ 24-17 win at the New York Jets. Brady, who has 187 regular-season victories, surpasses Hall of Famer Brett Favre (186) and Peyton Manning (186) for the most regular-season victories by a starting quarterback in NFL history.

Compiled by the Associated Press