Kershaw helps L. A. close in on crown
ARLINGTON, Texas — Clayton Kershaw’s glittering career lacked two of the most satisfying accomplishments: a win deep in the World Series and a championship ring.
He took the mound Sunday night with the Los Angeles Dodgers shaken, and Kershaw steadied his team with a gritty performance, plus one particular delivery home that will
long be remembered.
Now with one more victory, the Dodgers would claim their first title since 1988.
Kershaw beat the Tampa Bay Rays for the second time in six days, escaping a fourthinning jam with a quick reaction throw to cut down Manuel Margot trying for a rare steal of home, and the Dodgers held off Tampa Bay for a 42 win and a 32 Series lead.
“Well, it’s happened to me before, at least one other time that I can remember,” Kershaw said. “Carlos Gomez tried it against me in Houston one time. You know, I work on that with the first basemen.”
Max Muncy, looking on from first, was ready.
“I was fortunate enough to see one or two guys break hard, so I knew what to expect when he broke,” Muncy said. “I sprinted toward Kersh and said, ‘ Home! Home! Home!’ ”
Mookie Betts and Corey Seager sparked a tworun first inning, and Joc Pederson and Muncy homered off Tyler Glasnow, whose 100 mph heat got burned.
“What hurt him is the talent of the Dodgers’ lineup more than anything,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “They’re just really, really talented.”
His scraggly dark brown hair dangling with sweat, Kershaw was cruising when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed the 32yearold lefthander in favor of Dustin May after getting two outs on two pitches in the sixth inning.
The mostly proDodgers fans in the pandemicreduced crowd of 11,437 booed when Roberts walked to the mound, well aware of what happened with the bullpen the previous night, when closer Kenley Jansen wasted a ninthinning lead in a stunning 87 loss.
Those boos quickly turned to cheers as the L. A. rooters saluted Kershaw, a threetime NL Cy Young Award winner, as he walked to the dugout. Kershaw improved to 1312 in postseason play, including 41 this year.
May, Victor Gonzalez and Blake Treinen combined for twohit scoreless relief. May got five outs, Gonzalez stranded two runners in the eighth by retiring Randy Arozarena and Brandon Lowe on flyouts, and Treinen got three outs to become the fourth Dodgers pitcher with a postseason save this year.
“Kersh, a lot of credit goes to him for what we’ve been able to do in this World Series,” Treinen said. “There’s a tough narrative on him. He’s a phenomenal pitcher on the biggest stage.”
Margot singled leading off the ninth, but Austin Meadows struck out, Joey Wendle flied out and Willy Adames struck out.
Thirty of the previous 46 teams to win Game 5 for a 32 lead have won the title, but just six of the past 14. Teams that wasted 32 leads include last year’s Houston Astros.
Tony Gonsolin will start for the Dodgers in Game 6 on Tuesday, when Game 2 winner Blake Snell pitches for Tampa Bay.
Walker Buehler, the 26yearold righthander, is waiting in the wings for a a Game 7 like a Hollywood understudy ready for a leading role.
With a 17576 regularseason record, five ERA titles and an MVP, Kershaw ranks alongside Dodgers greats Sandy Koufax, Fernando Valenzuela and Orel Hershiser. Kershaw won World Series openers in 2017 and again this year, but he faltered in Game 5 in both 2017 and 2018 and has not won a title.
Kershaw allowed two runs and five hits with six strikeouts and two walks Sunday. He is 20 with a 2.31 ERA in 152⁄
3 innings over two starts in this Series with 14 strikeouts and three walks. Kershaw also set a career postseason record with 207 strikeouts, two more than Justin Verlander’s previous mark.
Provided a 30 lead, Kershaw allowed Tampa Bay to cut the margin to a run in the third when Kevin Kiermaier singled,
Yandy Diaz tripled on a ball down the rightfield line that skipped past Betts and Arozarena singled. The 25yearold Cuban rookie asked for the ball after his record 27th postseason hit, one more than the Giants’ Pablo Sandoval had in 2014.
“I didn’t have my stuff like I did in Game 1,” Kershaw said. “My slider wasn’t there as good as it was, so fortunate to get through there.”