Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — Jack Flaherty’s post-game interview following his stellar performance in Game 1 of the NLCS against the Mets reflected his joy and focus after leading the Dodgers to a 9-0 victory. The Dodgers’ ace pitched seven scoreless innings, setting the tone for the series and receiving plenty of praise from fans and teammates alike.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Flaherty said. “You can’t really put it all into words. But the most important part was coming out and setting a tone. Like I said, Will [Smith] did a really good job. He called a really good game. We had a really good game plan.” Flaherty praised the defense as well, pointing to Kiké Hernández’s crucial play on Jesse Winker in the fifth that helped maintain the shutout early on. “It kind of changes the outlook of maybe the way that inning goes,” he noted.
Flaherty explained that the ability to settle in and get quick outs following the Dodgers’ early lead was vital. “We get the lead there in the first, to get them right back in the dugout,” he said. “Then we add another one and then put another shutdown inning right there. It’s kind of huge just overall.” His fastball command was particularly effective, setting up his other pitches. “Being able to use my fastball tonight was huge,” he added. “My slider was a little off early, but as the game went on, we were able to mix with everything.”
Reflecting on the atmosphere and his own mental preparation, Flaherty shared how he found some peace amid the intensity. “Seeing some family in the stands beforehand kind of lets you relax a little bit and understand that we’re playing a game and supposed to be having some fun,” he said. He credited this mentality for his ability to focus and deliver on the mound.
When asked how this game compared to past outings, especially considering he grew up in the Los Angeles area, Flaherty acknowledged the special nature of the night. “You know, I saw some family out there when I was warming up, and I had gone to games here with them before, so it was just kind of a… it lets you relax a little bit,” he shared. “I felt like I had tried to do a little bit too much the last couple times out in some big games.”
Flaherty expressed pride in earning the admiration of a Dodgers legend. “The answer is there’s only one. It’s Kersh,” he said, referencing Clayton Kershaw. “Getting a hug from him afterwards and him letting me know, like, that was a really good job is special… But that dude took the ball every time.”
Ultimately, Flaherty emphasized the need for the Dodgers to stay focused. “We got work to do. It’s Game 1. It’s a really good team over there still,” he said. “We had a good game one, but we’re going to come back tomorrow and keep our foot on the pedal.” As he walked off to a standing ovation, the homegrown talent knew he had taken a significant step toward postseason greatness.
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