After the NLCS, Jack Flaherty pitches the Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty stayed comfortable in front of the home fans, contributing to the 6-3 scoreline Game 1 World Series victory on the mound against New York Yankees.

A product of nearby Harvard-Westlake Prep, Flaherty produced another solid outing for the Dodgers as he battled 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 working his way through the game. “It was an incredible atmosphere and an incredible setting.”

Roberts was impressed with Flaherty’s overall performance outside of “a bad pitch”.

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 him on Flaherty.

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

Flaherty was up for the challenge against a lineup that featured Aaron Judge, arguably the American League’s MVP. The pitcher got the best of Judge, hitting him in each of Friday’s three meetings.

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

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

Flaherty said: “The judge is unbelievable. I was able to make some good pitches. Some days, that’s how it goes. I made some good pitches and it came out. We’ll figure out next time how to get him out in different ways because that’s a good hitter that’s going to make adjustments.”

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

Flaherty worked from a mound on which he had painted the number 34 in honor of Fernando Valenzuela, who died Tuesday. Flaherty, 29, entered the stadium before the game wearing a Valenzuela jersey.

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

Flaherty is coming off a National League championship streak that saw him experience extreme highs and lows. In Game 1 against the New York Mets, he threw six scoreless innings and allowed just two hits. But in his Game 5 start, he surrendered eight earned runs in three innings.

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

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jack Flaherty leads the Dodgers to victory in Game 1 of the World Series