ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — For the first time in 32 years the Los Angeles Dodgers can call themselves World Series champions.
The Dodgers closed out their seventh championship by rallying for a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 6 of the Fall Classic. It erases the pain felt by the Dodgers and their fans following World Series losses in 2017 and ’18.
The Rays led 1-0 until Los Angeles scored twice in the bottom of the sixth. Austin Barnes came home on a wild pitch by reliever Nick Anderson before Mookie Betts outraced first baseman Ji-Man Choi’s throw to the plate on a fielder’s choice.
Betts put a capper on the clincher by leading off the bottom of the eighth with a home run.
The Dodgers’ rally occurred right after Rays starter Blake Snell was lifted with one out in the sixth. He allowed just two hits while striking out nine in a 73-pitch performance. Manager Kevin Cash pulled the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner immediately after Austin Barnes singled.
Snell’s next three batters would have been Betts, Corey Seager and Justin Turner, who were a combined 0-for-6 with six strikeouts against the left-hander on Tuesday. Instead, Cash went with Anderson, who was charged with at least one run in each of his last seven appearances.
Tampa Bay’s lone run came courtesy of a first-inning blast by Randy Arozarena (ah-roh-zah-RAY’-nah). It was Arozarena’s 10th home run this postseason, extending his major league record.
The Dodgers allowed just five hits, two coming after starter Tony Gonsolin (GAHN’-sah-lihn) was pulled with two out in the second inning. Julio Urias (yoo-REE’-uhs) retired all seven batters he faced to get the save.
Winning pitcher Victor Gonzalez struck out three of the four batters he faced. Nick Anderson took the loss.
Seager was named the MVP of the series. Seager batted .400 with a .556 on-base percentage, two home runs and five RBIs in 26 plate appearances.
The Dodgers had played 5,014 regular season games and were in their 114th postseason contest since Orel Hershiser struck out Oakland’s Tony Phillips for the final out of the 1988 World Series.
MLB-WORLD SERIES-TURNER
Turner removed from Game 6 after positive COVID test
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Justin Turner was removed following the seventh inning in Game 6 after registering Major League Baseball’s first positive test for the coronavirus in 59 days. And he wasn’t on the field as the Dodgers began enjoying the spoils of a title earned during a most unusual season.
Commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed Turner’s positive test moments after presenting the World Series trophy to Los Angeles.
Turner returned to the diamond about an hour after the game, hugging longtime teammate Clayton Kershaw and sitting front-and-center for a team photo next to manager Dave Roberts with his mask pulled down under his bushy beard.
The 35-year-old Turner has been a staple in the Dodgers’ lineup for seven of their eight consecutive NL West titles.
