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MAX Muncy hit an impressive home run in the fifth after Clayton Kershaw escaped a jam to protect a one-run lead one inning earlier, as the Los Angeles (LA) Dodgers walked away from ending their 32-year championship drought. years 4-2 over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5 of the World Series Sunday night in Arlington, Texas.
Joc Pederson also homered as the Dodgers rebounded from a disastrous loss in Game 4 just 24 hours earlier. Kershaw (4-1) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings, struck out six and walked two.
Victor Gonzalez stranded two Rays in the eighth to protect the lead, and Blake Treinen fanned two after a single in the first inning to record the save and give Los Angeles a chance to close out the best-of-seven series Tuesday.
Trailing 3-2 in the fourth, the Rays had a prime opportunity to reach Kershaw when Manuel Margot walked to open the inning, stole the second and advanced to third on a missed catch by Chris Taylor on the throw. Hunter Renfroe followed up with a walk to put runners in the corners.
After Joey Wendle jumped and Willy Adames struck out, Margot risked trying to steal home while Kershaw was in the middle of the move to the plate, but the left-hander passed the ball to catcher Austin Barnes to narrowly beat Margot on the tag for end out.
Muncy’s home run gave Los Angeles a two-run lead. He became the ninth different Dodger to deepen the series.
In the bottom of the fifth, Kershaw beat Justin Verlander’s all-time postseason strikeout record of 205 when he defeated Kevin Kiermaier to start the frame.
The Rays’ best chance of coming back came in the eighth when red-hot rookie Randy Arozarena intervened with two and one out. Gonzalez sent Arozarena flying and Brandon Lowe lined up to end the threat.
Los Angeles got off to a good start against Tampa Bay starter Tyler Glasnow, who worked the first inning. A double by Mookie Betts and a single by Corey Seager saw the Dodgers lead 1-0 with just 10 pitches, and Cody Bellinger made it 2-0 with an RBI single later in the frame.
Pederson homered to open the second and put a 3-0 lead in Los Angeles. The Rays reduced their deficit to one with a triple by Yandy Diaz and an RBI single by Arozarena in the third.
Arozarena’s coup was his 27th from the playoffs to beat Pablo Sandoval’s single postseason record set in 2014.
Glasnow (2-3) calmed down and allowed four runs and six hits in five innings. He walked three, struck out seven and threw a World Series record with three wild pitches.
KERSHAW SETS STRIKEOUT RECORD
Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw became the all-time leader in postseason strikeouts when he fanned Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier in opening the fifth inning of Game 5 of the World Series on Sunday night. .
Kershaw had Kiermaier swing a 1-2 fastball for 206th hit of his career in the playoffs, passing Justin Verlander for No. 1 on the all-time list. He entered the game with 201 strikeouts after hitting eight in Game 1 of the series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Kershaw matched Verlander’s total when he struck out Willy Adames in a curve with runners on first and third and one out in the fourth inning as the Dodgers were 3-2 at the time. Kershaw came out of trouble when Manuel Margot was trying to steal a batter from home later.
Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young winner, entered Sunday’s contest 3-1 with a 2.88 ERA in four starts this postseason. The 32-year-old is still seeking the first World Series title of his 13-year career, all spent with the Dodgers.
Rays rookie Randy Arozarena set a record at the expense of Kershaw in Sunday’s game, whose RBI single in the third inning gave him 27 hits this postseason to surpass Pablo Sandoval’s postseason record set in 2014. During these playoffs, Arozarena has also established a unique postseason. home run records (nine) and total bases (58 going into Sunday). – Reuters
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