MLB playoffs: ALCS, NLCS Friday takeaways, analysis - ESPN

After tonight's thrilling games, two teams are one win away from the World Series — though one of them remains exactly where it was before first pitch.

In Friday's opener, the Los Angeles Dodgers failed to punch their ticket to the Fall Classic, falling to the New York Mets in Game 5 of the NLCS. They'll need to win one of two now as the series shifts back to L.A.

After another thrilling matchup in Cleveland, the New York Yankees are one win away from their first pennant since 2009 — though the Cleveland Guardians didn't make it easy on them, clawing back to tie the score multiple times.

Relive all the action from both games, plus we've got you covered with takeaways and what's next for the winners and losers.

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Dodgers lead series 3-2

The Mets just won't go away. They took care of business against a less-than-sharp Jack Flaherty in Game 5, staving off elimination with an offensive onslaught. It started with Pete Alonso's three-run shot in the first inning — he golfed one to center off his cleats — then continued with a five-run third, finally chasing Flaherty. Perhaps if Dave Roberts had a quicker hook, the Dodgers might have been able to pull off a comeback, because their offense came alive thanks to Andy Pages, who homered twice. Instead, New York kept tacking on and forcing L.A. to respond. At one point, the visitors scored four straight runs thanks to Pages and Mookie Betts, who went deep as well, but that's as close as they would come. The story of the game was Flaherty. He had nothing just five days after shutting out the Mets over seven innings. Dodgers pitchers failed to strike out any Mets — that's the first time a team has had zero K's in a playoff game since 2002.

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