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sports Diamars 27 OctOber 2020

Kershaw stops steal of home, hands Dodgers 3-2 Series lead

(AP) — As much as Clay- burned.
ton Kershaw has domi-
nated hitters throughout His scraggly dark brown
a glittering career, he has hair dangling with sweat,
not silenced those who Kershaw was cruising when
cite his lack of baseball's Dodgers manager Dave Rob-
ultimate accomplishment. erts removed the 32-year-old
in favor of right-handed re-
With a gritty performance, liever Dustin May after get-
plus one particular delivery ting two outs on two pitches
home that will long be re- in the sixth inning.
membered, he hushed the
skeptics and moved the Los The mostly pro-Dodgers
Angeles Dodgers within a fans in the pandemic-re-
victory of their first World duced crowd of 11,437 booed
Series title since 1988. when Roberts walked to the
mound, well aware of what
"He's a phenomenal pitcher happened with the bullpen
on the biggest stage," reliever the previous night, when
Blake Treinen said after Ker- closer Kenley Jansen wasted
shaw beat the Tampa Bay a ninth-inning lead in a stun-
Rays for the second time in ning 8-7 loss.
six days, a 4-2 win Sunday
night that gave the Dodgers No matter that some LA
a 3-2 Series lead. "I think a players tried to convince
lot of credit goes to what he's Roberts to leave in Kershaw,
been able to do in this World he was gone.
Series for us."
"Fans, players get caught up
Kershaw even prevented the in emotion, and I'm emo-
Rays from stealing the tying tional, but I still have to have
run. clarity on making decisions,"
Roberts said. "I can't get
Los Angeles was clinging to caught up in fans' reactions." seats, my wife said, so we Kershaw escaped in the fourth
a one-run lead with runners got to bring an extra 10 or so With a 175-76 regular-season after Margot walked leading
at the corners and two outs in Those boos quickly turned people here," Kershaw said. record, five ERA titles and an off, stole second and contin-
the fourth inning, and Kevin to cheers as the Los Ange- "Don't want to say it's work- MVP, Kershaw ranks along- ued to third when the ball
Kiermaier at the plate. les rooters saluted Kershaw, ing out the way that I wanted side Dodgers greats Sandy got away from second base-
a three-time NL Cy Young it to just because being at Koufax, Fernando Valenzuela man Chris Taylor for his sec-
The great left-hander had Award winner, as he walked Dodger Stadium would be and Orel Hershiser. He won ond big error in two games.
raised both hands over his to the dugout. Kershaw im- awesome, too, but to get that World Series openers in 2017 Hunter Renfroe also walked,
head in his instantly recog- proved to 13-12 in postsea- family and friends here, to get and again this year, but he fal- but Joey Wendle popped out
nizable stretch position when son play, including 4-1 this to have as packed house as it tered in Game 5 in both 2017 and Willy Adames struck out.
he heard first baseman Max year. can be and basically it seems and 2018 and has never won
Muncy scream: "Step off! like it's all Dodger fans, is a title. Margot went on his own,
Step off! Step off!" May, Victor Gonzalez and very special." thinking the Dodgers weren't
Treinen combined for two- Kershaw shut down the Rays paying close attention, and
"Instinctually, I kind of did hit scoreless relief. May Treinen got three straight outs on two runs and five hits became the first runner
it," Kershaw recalled. got five outs, and Gonzalez after Margot's single leading with six strikeouts and two caught stealing home in the
stranded a pair of runners in off the ninth, becoming the walks. He is 2-0 with a 2.31 Series since Minnesota's
He coolly and quickly backed the eighth by retiring Randy fourth Dodgers pitcher with ERA in 15 2/3 innings over Shane Mack in Game 4 in
off the rubber and calm- Arozarena and Brandon a postseason save. two starts in this Series with 1991.
ly threw to catcher Austin Lowe on flyouts. 14 strikeouts and three walks.
Barnes, who grabbed the "Kersh, a lot of credit goes Kershaw also set a career "I thought I was really close,"
ball and got his mitt down "It's way more stressful to him for what we've been postseason record with 207 Margot said through a trans-
on Manuel Margot's out- watching than pitching," Ker- able to do in this World Se- strikeouts, two more than lator.
stretched hand while the shaw said. ries," Treinen said. "There's a Justin Verlander's previous
runner's helmet tumbled off tough narrative on him. He's mark. Glasnow allowed four runs
and cut his own lip. He has been joined in the a phenomenal pitcher on the and six hits in five innings,
postseason bubble environ- biggest stage." Provided a 3-0 lead, Ker- leaving him 0-2 with a 9.64
Tampa Bay rarely threatened ment by wife Ellen, 5-year- shaw allowed Tampa Bay to ERA in the Series. He sets
again. old daughter Cali, nearly 4 Thirty of the previous 46 pull within a run in the third records with nine postseason
Charley and 9-month-old teams to win Game 5 for a when Kiermaier singled, homers allowed and three
Kershaw's formidable resume Cooper, making this October 3-2 lead have won the title, Yandy Díaz tripled on a ball wild pitches in a Series game,
has lacked two of the most run most memorable. but just six of the last 14. down the right-field line that tying a mark with two wild
satisfying achievements: a Teams that wasted 3-2 leads skipped past Betts and Aro- pitches in an inning.
win deep in the World Series "Any dad just wants their kids include last year's Houston zarena singled. The 25-year-
and a championship ring. He to be proud of them," Ker- Astros. old Cuban rookie asked for "It's definitely not my great-
has one and lifted himself shaw said. "Cali told me she the ball after his record 27th est month of baseball, that's
and his team to the verge of was tonight, so I'll take that Tony Gonsolin will start for postseason hit, one more for sure," Glasnow said.
the second. for sure." the Dodgers on Tuesday, than San Francisco's Pablo
when Game 2 starter Blake Sandoval in 2014. UP NEXT
Mookie Betts and Corey Sea- The Kershaws make their Snell pitches for Tampa Bay. Gonsolin allowed Lowe's
ger sparke d a two-run first offseason home in the Dallas "I didn't have my stuff like first-inning homer in Game
inning, and Joc Pederson and area. This is the first time since I did in Game 1," Kershaw 2 and left after 1 1/3 innings.
Muncy homered off long- 1997 that teams have alter- said. "My slider wasn't there Snell allowed two runs and
ball prone Tyler Glasnow, "Last minute we were able nated wins in the first five as good as it was, so fortunate two hits in 4 2/3 innings in
whose 100 mph heat got to get a few extra nosebleed games. to get through there." Game 2.