Game 1: Dodgers 8, Rays 3 Tuesday, Oct. 20
The Dodgers rollicked, laughed and danced all night in front of a subdued, social-distancing crowd of 11,388 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
It was the smallest crowd at a World Series game since Game 6 of 1909 between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers, with Honus Wagner and Ty Cobb as the featured stars.
Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw conquered his October demons. The greatest pitcher of his generation, with three Cy Young awards and a career 2.43 ERA, has had his career scarred only by the mediocrity of his postseason. He had made 35 postseason appearances in his career, including 28 starts, but was just 11-12 with a 4.31 ERA, and a 5.40 ERA in five World Series appearances.
Then, along came this night. His slider, which had abandoned him in the biggest moments, was back. His fastball had life. His curveball was breaking. The Rays swung and missed 19 times against him. Of the last 18 batters he faced, he retired 17 of them.
He joined Justin Verlander as the only pitchers in postseason history to strike out 200 batters.
Mookie Betts, acquired in February in a heist from the Red Sox, became the first player to homer, steal two bases and score two runs in a World Series game. He joined Babe Ruth as the only players in World Series history to steal two bases and draw a walk in the same inning.
Cody Bellinger, who hit the game-winning home run in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series over the Atlanta Braves and dislocated his shoulder in an enthusiastic forearm bash with Kike Hernandez, hit Rays starter Tyler Glasnow’s 98-mph fastball into the right-field seats for a two-run homer in the fourth inning.
Quotable: “There’s going to be certain times we get beat, but as a collective group, if everybody is doing and playing like it’s supposed to, I don’t know how that can happen.”
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