NEW YORK -- The Dodgers know what can happen when momentum shifts in a postseason series. They experienced that for themselves en route to their 2020 World Series title, erasing a 3-1 series deficit against the Braves in the National League Championship Series.

Before Game 5, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the team would play with urgency despite the comfortable series lead. Roberts, of course, was a member of the 2004 Red Sox team that came back from a 3-0 deficit against the Yankees. The Dodgers said all the right things before the game. They didn’t want the series to go back to Dodger Stadium for a Game 6.

Unfortunately for the Dodgers, Jack Flaherty had one of the worst starts of his career, and they were unable to close out the Mets following a 12-6 loss in Game 5 of the NLCS on Friday at Citi Field. Under the current 2-3-2 format, teams with a 3-1 lead playing Game 5 on the road have gone on to win the series 43 of 50 times (86%).

After he dominated the Mets with seven scoreless innings in Game 1, it was obvious early on that Flaherty didn’t have the same stuff on Friday. The right-hander allowed a leadoff single to Francisco Lindor and walked Brandon Nimmo to open the game. Two batters later, Pete Alonso jumped on a slider and sent it to straightaway center field for a three-run homer.

• Pages' multihomer showing makes Dodgers history

Things didn’t get any better for Flaherty in the third. The Mets batted around against him and put up five more runs in the frame. The eight earned runs allowed by Flaherty matched a postseason record for the most in a single outing.