In These Playoffs, an Incredible Streak Is Unfolding

If you had bet on the Los Angeles Dodgers setting records this postseason, chances are the bets would revolve around superstar designated hitter Shohei Ohtani. Instead, it's the team's relatively unheralded pitching staff that has entered the record books:

• 33 straight: With their 9-0 win over the Mets on Sunday, the Dodgers have now pitched 33 consecutive scoreless innings and counting, reports the Athletic. That ties the record of the 1966 Baltimore Orioles (which just happened to be set against the Dodgers).

• Hidden perfection: The win came in Game 1 of the National League finals, and the streak stretches back to the final two games of the previous playoff series against the Padres. At one point—from the last Padres game to the fourth inning of the Mets game—Dodgers pitchers retired 28 straight batters. In other words, a "hidden perfect game," notes MLB.com.
• 1-2-3: Sunday's win was capped by rookie reliever Ben Casparius' one-two-three inning in the ninth. Casparius, an injury replacement on the playoff roster, had no idea he was pitching for history, per Yahoo Sports. "That's cool," he said afterward. "So we're tied now?" He combined with Jack Flaherty and Daniel Hudson on the three-hit shutout. Game 2 is Monday afternoon in Los Angeles.

(More Los Angeles Dodgers stories.)