The Los Angeles Dodgers are a win away from their first World Series title since 1988 as Clayton Kershaw led his squad to a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays Sunday night in game five of the fall classic. Kershaw dazzled once again in the postseason pitching 5 2/3 innings only allowing two runs on five hits and striking out six batters, setting a new Major League Baseball post season record for career strikeouts passing Justin Verlander.
The Dodgers once again wasted no time getting the early lead as the first two batters Tampa Bay Rays starter Tyler Glasnow faced added the first run to the game for Los Angeles. Mookie Betts led off the game with a double off Glasnow, only to be driven in on a Corey Seager RBI single to right field giving the Dodgers an early 1-0 lead. Cody Bellinger added to the lead for Los Angeles with a deep ground ball into the shift allowing Seager to score and it’s was 2-0 Dodgers after the first inning.
Joc Pederson’s big bat added another tally to the Dodgers lead in the second inning with 428 foot solo home run to left center, and Los Angeles was off an running with an early 3-0 lead on Glasow who struggled for his second straight start in the fall classic. Tampa Bay chipped away at the lead with Yandy Diaz’ RBI triple and a Randy Arozarena RBI single in the third inning to make it a 3-2 ballgame.
Los Angeles answered back up one as Max Muncy went yard for a 434 foot mammoth solo home run giving the Dodgers a 4-2 advantage which ended the night for Glasnow. The Rays starter ended his night with five innings of work allowing four runs on six hits and striking out seven while walking three batters.
The Tampa Bay Rays bullpen finished the game not allowing a single hit in four innings of work, but the Rays bats were silenced by the trio of Dustin May, Victor Gonazlez and Blake Treinen who earned his first career postseason save.
The Tampa Bay Rays will look to extend the series on Tuesday night as Blake Snell will take the bump against a pitcher to be named later by Los Angeles. You can catch all the action on WDAE beginning at 6:30pm and an 8:07pm first pitch.
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