Jack Flaherty helps Dodgers achieve victory in World Series Game 1

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty remained at ease in front of his home fans and contributed to the 6-3 Game 1 World Series victory on the mound against the New York Yankees.

Flaherty, a product of nearby Harvard-Westlake prep, produced another solid outing for the Dodgers while battling his counterpart – and UCLA alum – Gerrit Cole of the Yankees.

Flaherty allowed five hits and two earned runs while striking out six in 5⅓ innings.

“Just one pitch at a time,” Flaherty said of his way through the game. “It was an incredible atmosphere and an incredible setting.”

Roberts was impressed with Flaherty’s overall performance, apart from “one bad throw”.

In the sixth inning, Giancarlo Stanton crushed a two-run homer down the left field line off Flaherty on a 1-2 count, giving the Yankees a 2-1 lead, prompting Roberts to remove Flaherty.

The Dodgers bullpen gave up one run the rest of the way in the series opening win.

Flaherty was ready for the challenge against a lineup that featured Aaron Judge, arguably the American League’s most valuable player. The pitcher got the best of Judge, striking him out in each of their three meetings on Friday.

“It was great,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think he obviously used the breaking ball, and that 3-2 strikeout with the fastball was a big strikeout there.

“Aaron is an MVP. He’s going to win it this year, and you have to be careful (with him).

Flaherty said: “Judge is incredible. I was able to make some good pitches. Some days it goes like this. I made some good pitches and it worked out. We’ll figure out next time how to get him out in different ways because that’s a good hitter who’s going to make adjustments.”

The Dodgers announced their seventh sellout of the postseason with 52,394 in attendance to watch the start of the series and pay tribute to another pitching legend.

Flaherty worked from a hill where the number 34 was painted in honor of Fernando Valenzuela, who died Tuesday. The 29-year-old Flaherty walked into the stadium before the match wearing a Valenzuela jersey.

“He was a legend,” Flaherty said. “That was a tough loss for the Dodgers community. … I just tried to go out there and channel the emotion, pitch with it and enjoy the effort.

Flaherty is coming off a National League Championship Series in which he experienced extreme highs and lows. In Game 1 against the New York Mets, he pitched six scoreless innings and allowed only two hits. But in his Game 5 starter, he gave up eight earned runs in three innings.

Flaherty will get regular rest to start a Game 5 at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

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