Dodgers’ Urías, 4-0 in postseason, set to pitch in Game 4
In his only other start this postseason, Julio Urías had an 11-0 lead before taking the mound when the Los Angeles Dodgers blew out the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series.
The left-hander finished that series with three perfect innings, the last two protecting a 4-3 lead in Game 7 and sending L.A. to the World Series against Tampa Bay.
Now comes the next start for Urías in Game 4 of the Series tonight. The 24-year-old with four wins in four postseason outings this year will face another lefty who was primarily a starter in the pandemic-shortened regular season but has more postseason appearances out of the bullpen in the Rays’ Ryan Yarbrough.
Urías has allowed just seven hits and two runs — one earned — in 16 postseason innings with three walks and 16 strikeouts. His 0.56 ERA leads the club.
“I’ve always known the potential Julio has,” catcher Austin Barnes said. “His demeanor he has, and the temperament. He’s not scared, that’s for sure. He’s making big pitches, thrown some big innings.”
ROOF CLOSED >> The roof at Globe Field in Arlington, Texas, was closed for Game 3 of the World Series on Friday night. The commissioner’s office said in a statement it made the decision “given Friday’s forecasted temperatures, wind chill and the possibility of rain.”
The game-time temperature is forecast at about 51 degrees.
The roof at the new $1.2 billion home of the Texas Rangers had been open for the first two games. The temperature was 82 degrees when Tuesday’s opener began and 81 degrees when Game 2 started Wednesday night.
MLB said it consulted with medical advisers and believes a closed roof will “provide the best competitive environment for players and the most comfort for fans without jeopardizing their safety in any way.”
The Series was tied at one game apiece after Los Angeles won the opener 8-3 and Tampa Bay won Game 2 by 6-4.
COVID TESTING >> Major League Baseball’s postseason bubble succeeded as a defense against the novel coronavirus. MLB players extended their streak of consecutive days with no new COVID-19 tests to 54 through Thursday during a time of rising cases in which of the United States.
Players did not have positive tests in 62 of the previous 63 days, the commissioner’s office said Friday.
There were no positive tests among 3,597 samples collected in the week.
MLB has collected 172,740 samples overall, of which 91 have been positive, or 0.05%.
Fifty-seven of 91 positives have been players, and 21 of the 30 teams have had a person covered by the monitoring test positive.
The eight teams that reached the Division Series entered bubble environments and played at neutral sites in the hope of minimizing exposure to the virus. The Dodgers and Rays will remain in bubble environments through the end of the World Series.
LINEUP MOVES >> Austin Barnes was back behind the plate to catch Dodgers ace Walker Buehler in Game 3. Will Smith moved from catcher to designated hitter in place of A.J. Pollock, who was out of the lineup.
Joc Pederson was inserted in left field, Chris Taylor shifted from left field to second base and Kiké Hernández was out of the lineup.
Right fielder Mookie Betts hit leadoff, followed by shortstop Corey Seager, third baseman Justin Turner, first baseman Max Muncy, Smith, center fielder Cody Bellinger, Taylor, Pederson and Barnes.
Tampa Bay went with the same lineup and batting order as in its Game 2 win that tied the Series at one game apiece.