DODGERS WIN FIRST TITLE SINCE ’88
ARLINGTON, Texas — All year long, from February, when the coronavirus pandemic was a concept beyond our imaginations and a shutdown was inconceivable, until Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers believed this was the year. This was the year those hovering ghosts — produced by annual heartbreak the last seven years — would vanish. This was the year they would add another round of World Series highlights to the 1988 reel that grows grainier each passing autumn. This was the year and this was the team to finally end a championship drought going on 32 years.
It happened Tuesday night inside Globe Life Field, a cavernous shiny new building 1,400 miles away from their home, in front of 11,437 people. It happened when Julio Urias struck Willy Adames out looking to end Game 6 of the World Series and spark a celebration millions of children, teenage and adult Dodger fans — now mothers and fathers and aunts and uncles — have never experienced.
It happened. It finally happened. The Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-1, to win the series, four-games-to-two, and claim their first World Series since 1988, the franchise’s seventh title, and sixth since moving to Los Angeles.
It didn’t happen according to the script. Tony Gonsolin, the rookie right-hander tasked to start the biggest game of his life, allowed one run in just 1 2/3 innings. But six relievers logged 7 1/3 scoreless innings to finish the job while the offense produced just enough after Rays manager Kevin Cash chose to pull Blake Snell in the sixth inning despite his dominance.
The decision blew up in Cash’s face. The Dodgers immediately scored two runs to take the lead and added a third on Mookie Betts’ home run in the eighth inning.
The hike to the summit began way back in February when Betts and David Price, acquired from the Boston Red Sox in a heist, were presented in a news conference at Dodger Stadium. The next day pitchers and catchers reported for spring training.
The initial conversation centered on the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal, not on adding one of the best players in baseball to a loaded roster. Players called the Astros’ apologies weak. They criticized commissioner Rob Manfred for granting players immunity. They insisted the championship Houston won against them in 2017 was tarnished. Speaking out so forcefully, they hoped, would remind everyone that Houston’s transgressions weren’t normal.
A week later, after the subject died down, Betts addressed his new team with a five-minute clubhouse speech the morning of their second day of fullsquad workouts.
Betts was a newcomer but a World Series champion whose relentless work ethic was already admired. He stressed urgency. He emphasized sweating the small details. His message resonated and accountability became a theme. A kangaroo court fine system was created for mistakes during workouts and Cactus League games.
“It set the tone,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said recently.