Early Lead
Bellinger hits early HR, lead 8-3 in seventh
ARLINGTON, Texas — Mookie Betts hit a leadoff homer in the sixth inning, continuing a brilliant performance for the versatile star and helping the Los Angeles Dodgers open an 8-1 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays heading into the final part of Game 1 of the World Series.
Betts drove Josh Fleming’s first pitch of the inning over the wall in right for an oppositefield homer. Max Muncy tacked on an RBI double later in the frame.
Betts also walked, stole second and third and scored on Muncy’s bouncer to first in the fifth, sparking Los Angeles’ four-run inning.
Clayton Kershaw pitched six effective innings for the NL champions. The threetime Cy Young Award winner struck out eight and walked one. He is in line for his second Series victory in five starts.
Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash tried to stick with his starter, and it didn’t work out for Tyler Glasnow. The Rays’ 6-foot-8 starter was pulled in the fifth inning after a careerhigh 112 pitches as the Dodgers stretched their lead to 6-1.
Glasnow walked Mookie Betts and Corey Seager leading off the fifth, and both came around to score before Cash finally lifted Glasnow — an uncharacteristically slow hook for Tampa Bay’s bullpen-favoring manager.
Betts and Seager took advantage of Glasnow’s slow delivery to double steal while Justin Turner struck out, and Betts then scored on Max Muncy’s grounder to first, diving into the plate ahead of Yandy Diaz’s throw. Betts also stole second in the inning, and the Dodgers are the first Series team with three steals in an inning since the 1912 New York Giants.
Glasnow allowed an RBI single to Will Smith before Cash came to get him. Glasnow struck out eight, walked six and was charged with six runs.
The Rays got on the board in the top of the frame when Kevin Kiermaier smacked Clayton Kershaw’s hanging slider for a solo homer.
Kershaw had retired 13 straight. He’s punched out eight and raised his career postseason strikeout total to 201. Despite a checkered playoff resume, Kershaw is climbing the leaderboard for postseason dominance. He passed John Smoltz for second on the list with strikeout No. 200, and he could catch Justin Verlander at 205 before the end of the Series.
Kershaw has thrown 70 pitches through five innings and is in line for his second Series victory in five starts.
Cody Bellinger’s two-run homer has given Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers a 2-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays after four innings.
The 2019 NL MVP connected on the first pitch he saw from Tyler Glasnow in the fourth, driving a 98 mph fastball over the right-center fence. Max Muncy was aboard after drawing a leadoff walk and advancing to second on Will Smith’s groundout to third.
It was the fastest pitch Bellinger has hit for a home run in his career, according to MLB. com.
After rounding the bases, Bellinger and his Dodgers teammates played it safe and celebrated with toe taps rather than emphatic high-fives. Bellinger knocked his right shoulder out of whack -- again -- when he and Kiké Hernández banged forearms on a leaping high-five after Bellinger’s tiebreaking homer in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series against Atlanta on Sunday night.
There was some question if Bellinger’s sore shoulder, which has popped out of place in the past, might affect his swing. Certainly didn’t look that way when Bellinger launched his fourth homer of this postseason.
Glasnow prevented further damage by getting two strikeouts with a runner on second.
Kershaw is now looking like the great Clayton Kershaw. His slider sharp, and showing pinpoint control, he struck out Brandon Lowe and Mike Zunino in a 10-pitch top of the third inning. The Dodgers lefty has retired eight in a row and has found his rhythm.
Rays starter Tyler Glasnow is getting it done with pure gas. He’s hitting 100 mph with his heater. He fanned Austin Barnes, Mookie Betts and Justin Turner in the bottom half, working around a walk.
It’s scoreless and pretty quiet so far. Even if there were a lot of fans inside the park, there wouldn’t be much to make noise about.
Kershaw is settling in as he makes his third start in four years in Game 1 of the World Series.
The Dodgers lefty, pitching just a few miles from his Dallas home, retired the side in order in the top of the second inning in the neutral-site series at the home of the Texas Rangers.
Kershaw’s second strikeout of the game was on Willy Adames, who is up to 18 strikeouts this postseason while hitting .128. Joey Wendle and Kevin Kiermaier both flew out to left. Kershaw retired five straight after two of the first three hitters of the game reached, on a single and a walk.
Tampa Bay right-hander Tyler Glasnow has surrendered his first hit, a seeing-eye, two-out single by Chris Taylor that just eluded a diving Adames in the hole at shortstop. Joc Pederson struck out swinging to end the inning.
Will Smith was the hardthrowing Glasnow’s first strikeout leading off the second. Glasnow has routinely been hitting 98 mph with his fastball, but got both Smith and Pederson swinging on curves in the low 80s.
The Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw and the Rays’ Tyler Glasnow each pitched scoreless first innings in the World Series opener.
Kershaw started his fifth Series game and third opener by allowing Yandy Diaz’s single, then retired Brandon Lowe and walked Randy Arozarena before striking out Hunter Renfroe and getting Manuel Margot on a comebacker.
Glasnow retired Mookie Betts, Justin Turner and Max Muncy around a walk to Corey Seager.
Los Angeles is in the World Series for the third time in four years, seeking its first title since 1988.
Tampa Bay has never won a championship. It lost to Philadelphia in 2008, its only prior Series appearance.
“It’s time for Dodgers baseball,” Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully said in a prerecorded message shown just before the Dodgers took the field.
Globe Life Field has a capacity of 40,518, and Major League Baseball said it will be about 28% full.