Dodgers beat Rays to end 32-year World Series drought

Corey Seager drove in the lead run and Mookie Betts hit a late home run as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-1, on Tuesday to end a 32-year World Series title drought. .

Back in the Major League Championship showcase for the third time in four years, the Dodgers claimed the seventh World Series title in club history, but their first since 1988.

A string of Los Angeles pitchers held firm as the Dodgers beat the Rays four games to two at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, where the first neutral World Series in modern baseball history capped a campaign shortened by a pandemic. .

The Rays, who needed a win to force a decisive game seven, couldn’t take advantage of the dominating performance of starter Blake Snell, who allowed just two hits and no runs with nine strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.

He became the first pitcher to hit nine in four innings in a World Series game since Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax had a total of 15 in a complete Game 1 victory against the New York Yankees in 1963.

But when Snell left with one out and one in the bottom of the sixth, the Rays led by just one run, thanks to Randy Arozarena’s home run in the first inning.

And then the momentum changed.

Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts quickly doubled down the left-field line off Rays reliever Nick Anderson.

Austin Barnes, who had singled to Snell, advanced to third and scored on a wild pitch.

Then Seager moved into first position by choice of a fielder, with Betts beating the throw to home plate to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.

A parade of Dodgers pitchers had kept him close after rookie sensation Arozarena hit his record-setting 10th postseason home run off an 88 mph slider from Gonsolin, the rookie right-hander whose impressive regular-season numbers haven’t have resulted in the playoffs.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had said he expected five or six innings from rookie Gonsolin, whose impressive regular-season numbers have not translated into the playoffs.

But it lasted only 1 2/3 innings before giving way to Dylan Floro.

Meanwhile, Snell retired the first six batters he faced before throwing an opening single to Chris Taylor in the third, then retired nine more for the Rays to maintain their one-run lead in five innings.

After Arozarena singled to left field with two outs in the top of the fifth off the Dodgers’ fourth pitcher of the night, Pedro Baez, Victor Gonzalez took over the mound and recorded the last out of the inning.

Gonzalez retired three straight games in the top of the sixth, and after the Dodgers took the lead at the bottom of the frame, Brusdar Graterol took over the mound for Los Angeles in the seventh.

With two outs in the inning, Graterol gave up a line single to Mike Zunino and was replaced by Game 4 starter Julio Urias, who didn’t let a base runner close out the win.