Game 5: Dodgers 4, Rays 2 Sunday, Oct. 25
The Dodgers showed no psychological scars from their catastrophic Game 4 loss, jumping on Rays starter Tyler Glasnow for an early 3-0 lead, including two runs in the first inning.
Still, those pesky Rays refused to go away, constantly threatening, even attempting to steal home for the first time in 18 years in a World Series game, but kept falling short.
Yandy Diaz, who had 45 plate appearances without an extra-base hit or RBI, opened the Rays’ attack in the third by hitting a one-out triple into the right-field corner that rolled past Mookie Betts, scoring Kiermaier. One batter later, it was Arozarena time. He shot a single into left field, scoring Diaz, for his 27th hit of the postseason, an all-time record.
The Rays, in their most daring inning of the postseason, had Manuel Margot lead off the fourth with a walk. He stole second base and advanced to third on second baseman Chris Taylor’s error. Kershaw walked Hunter Renfroe but induced an infield pop-up from Joey Wendle and struck out Willy Adames. And then, with Kershaw’s back to him, Margot took off, trying to steal home. He got a great
jump, but Kershaw stepped off the rubber and quickly threw to catcher Austin Barnes. Margot was out by inches.
Kershaw retired seven batters in a row, with no one hitting the ball out of the infield, when Roberts came to the mound to remove him after just 85 pitches but enough to earn another World Series victory:
Quotable: “I think that comes with experience. We already experienced some tough losses, some tough games.” — Roberts on flushing Game 4.