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A16 sports
Friday 23 OctOber 2020
Rays hungry for more after evening up World Series

By TIM DAHLBERG was nowhere to be seen
AP Sports Columnist the night before.
Game 1 of the World Series "Tonight was a huge game
was all about Mookie Betts for him and for our team
and his quest to give the as well," Joey Wendle said.
Los Angeles Dodgers a title "Today was a little bit of a
and fans across the coun- better indicator what kind
try a free taco. of team we are."
Game 2 gave us a $27.50 What the Rays are is a small-
hot dog that could feed budget team that plays big
the family, and a reminder even when they struggle
that the Tampa Bay Rays offensively, as they did
may be even better than against the Houston Astros.
the sum of their bargain They've got interchange-
basement parts. able pitching parts that
Now Major League Base- Cash is a master of mov-
ball can only hope that ing around and they've
fans are hungrier for more. got defense for the games
A World Series unlike any when they need it.
other is knotted 1-1 after the They weren't exactly em-
Rays jumped on a parade barrassed in Game 1,
of early Dodger pitchers but they weren't the Rays
on their way to a 5-0 lead we've seen all season. That
Wednesday night that they The Tampa Bay Rays celebrates their win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 2 of the seemed to change with
never relinquished. They baseball World Series Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. Ray beat the Dodgers 6-4. Lowe's first inning home
Associated Press
did it behind two opposite- run when, suddenly, they
field home runs from Bran- a 6-4 Tampa Bay win that ries victory drought could "You gonna say it, or you seemed to believe they
don Lowe, who had been not only evened up the se- finally be over, Snell didn't good?" belonged with a team in
mired in a deep postsea- ries but gave the underdog allow a hit in the first four If the game wasn't a must its third World Series in four
son slump, and a succes- Rays a jolt of confidence innings to stake his team to win for Tampa Bay, it was years. "I think it's just the
sion of pitchers who held just when they needed it the lead. He didn't make it pretty close. The Dodgers guys we got in the locker
the Dodgers to just five hits the most. through the fifth but struck have manhandled oppos- room, how close everyone
— though three of them left "We're good and we're out nine of the 15 Dodgers ing teams all year, and the is," Lowe said. "Everyone
the park at spacious Globe here to play," pitcher Blake who went down swinging idea of giving them a 2-0 in that locker room will die
Life Field in Texas. Snell said. "It's not going to on the night. lead in a best-of-7 series for the guy beside him.
Betts wasn't a factor, but be an easy World Series. Meanwhile, the Dodg- had to make even Rays They're going to go out
the Dodgers' makeshift We've got chemistry and ers were going through so manager Kevin Cash ner- there and give everything
pitching rotation was. A we can play really good many pitchers early that vous. they have no matter what
day after ace Clayton Ker- together. They're going to Kershaw had to alert FOX But Lowe — who entered it is. They came out, they
shaw pitched six strong in- have to bring it every night announcer Joe Buck to the the game hitting .107 with beat us yesterday, but we
nings, Tony Gonsolin got just like we will." latest one as he was being one home run in the post- understood that you can't
only four outs and the six Just when Dodger fans interviewed in the dugout season — set the tone with a change what happened.
pitchers who followed him were beginning to believe in the second inning. homer in the first inning and We got to show up, and we
weren't terribly effective this could be the year the "Joe — we got a pitching suddenly the Rays seemed got to take care of business
either. The end result was team's 32-year World Se- change," Kershaw said. to regain the swagger that today." q

Twins’ Nelson Cruz wins Marvin Miller Award for leadership

NEW YOIRK (AP) — Minnesota Twins des- Chicago White Sox first baseman José
ignated hitter Nelson Cruz was voted Abreu was voted the AL's Outstanding
Marvin Miller Man of the Year and At- Player, Cleveland's Shane Bieber out-
lanta Braves first baseman Freddie Free- standing pitcher, Seattle outfielder Kyle
man was picked as Player of the Year in Lewis outstanding rookie and Cleveland
annual Players Choice award voting by pitcher Carlos Carrasco comeback play-
the Major League Baseball Players Asso- er.
ciation. Hall of Famer Andre Dawson was picked
Cruz hit .303 with 16 homers and 33 RBIs for the first Curt Flood Award, given to "a
in the pandemic-shortened season. The former player who in the image of Flood
Marvin Miller Award goes to the player demonstrated a selfless, longtime devo-
whose his peers "most respect based on tion to the players' association and ad-
his leadership on the field and in the com- vancement of players' rights.
munity." Cruz donated a fire engine and an am-
Freeman batted .341 with 13 homers and bulance and helped build a police sta-
53 RBIs. tion in his hometown of Las Matas De
Freeman was voted the NL's outstand- Santa Cruz, Dominican Republic.
In this Sept. 27, 2020, file photo, Minnesota Twins' Nelson Cruz, ing player, Cincinnati's Trevor Bauer out- Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward
center, smiles in the dugout after the Twins clinched the AL standing pitcher, San Diego infielder Jake and St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam
Central championship with the Chicago White Sox's loss Cronenworth outstanding rookie and Wainwright also were were finalists for the
during the tenth inning of a baseball game in Minneapolis. Colorado pitcher Daniel Bard comeback Marvin Miller Award.q
Associated Press player, the union said Thursday.