Mets draw level with Dodgers; Yankees win ALCS kickoff

LOS ANGELES – Mark Vientos smashed a grand slam and Francisco Lindor homered as well as the New York Mets beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-3 on Monday to level their Major League Baseball playoff series at one game apiece.

Vientos’s four-run blast in a determined second inning at-bat helped the Mets rebound from a 9-0 drubbing in game one on Sunday in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series.

The winner of the series will advance to face either the New York Yankees or Cleveland Guardians in the World Series.

The Yankees, fueled by home runs from Giancarlo Stanton and Juan Soto and six strong innings from starting pitcher Carlos Rodon, beat the Guardians 5-2 to open their American League Championship Series.