Dodgers end 32-year drought by winning the World Series

The Los Angeles Dodgers became World Series champs for the first time in 32 years last night, downing the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 to take the Series in six games, 4-2.

I watched the game with Ann at my side. She realized that this game was going to be an emotional journey for me. My brother Micheal and nephews Jesse, Chris, and John were keeping in touch via text message. Jesse stopped in Las Vegas on his way back to Salt Lake to catch the game.

At one point, Adam, Mike's grandson in Seattle, chimed in with a supporting text, "We got this grandpa."

Tampa Bay started with their ace, Blake Snell, who shut down Los Angeles for the first five frames, holding the Dodgers to a pair of hits. When No. 9 hitter Austin Barnes singled to center, Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash pulled Snell from the game.

We had heard all Series about Tampa Bay's "high leverage" relief pitchers and how Cash was eager to turn the game over to his pen. Look, it worked all year. Tampa Bay had the best record in the American League and vanquished New York and Houston to get to the Series.

But on this night, Cash and all the sabermetrics and stat-crunching was wrong. Snell was dealing and the Dodgers had no answers to his pitches. 

After the game, several Dodgers admitted that they sighed in relief when Snell left the game. Mookie Betts wasted no time in capitalizing on the pitching change, greeting Nick Anderson with a lined double down the left-field line, setting up a second and third situation with one out.

Anderson then threw a wild pitch, allowing Barnes to score and knot the game at 1-1. LA went up 2-1 when World Series MVP Corey Seager grounded sharply to first baseman Ji-Man Choi who tried to nab Betts at the plate. Betts got a great jump on the ball and beat the throw to home.

Betts added an insurance run with a solo homer in the eighth inning for the final 3-1 score.

Though Tampa Bay's bullpen got a lot of ink, it was the Dodgers' pen that came through in crunch time. With Tampa Bay up 1-0 in the second after a Randy Arozarena homer in the first, Kevin Kermaier doubled and Choi walked, putting runners on first and second with two outs. 

LA Manager Dave Roberts pulled starter Tony Gonsolin and brought in Dylan Floro to face Arozarena. Arozarena, who set postseason records for his hitting, went down on three Floro changeups to quell the rally.

In the third and fourth innings, Roberts called on little-used Alex Wood, the former starter, to keep the Dodgers in the game. Wood pitched two strong innings of no-hit ball, striking out three in the process.

In the fifth inning, Roberts brought in Pedro Baez and Victor Gonzalez. Baez got two outs and gave up one hit. Gonzalez finished the fifth and pitched the sixth inning, giving up no hits and striking out three.

Brusdar Graterol got two outs in the seventh and gave up one hit. Graterol handed the ball to Julio Urias with two outs in the seventh and the Dodgers' southpaw took LA the rest of the way home, recording seven outs, four of them strikeouts. Urias fanned Willy Adames on a 97-mph fastball on the inside corner to start the celebration.

Here are my takeaways:

• Clayton Kershaw, much-maligned for postseason failures, got the monkey off his back with two strong World Series victories and a 4-1 record and 2.93 ERA in the playoffs. Kershaw's postseason numbers would probably be much better if Houston didn't cheat in 2017 and the Dodgers not used him on short rest out of necessity repeated times. The best pitcher of his generation is now a champion.
• Mookie Betts is worth all the money LA is paying him. He didn't have a standout Series at the plate but his defense and base-running were difference makers.
• Corey Seager proved that when he is healthy he is one of the best hitters in the game. After major injuries in the last few years, Seager was phenomenal. Named the NLCS and World Series MVP, Seager was the foundation of a potent LA offense.
• Julio Urias emerged as a star. Urias started two games in the postseason and made four relief appearances. In 23 innings of work, he struck out 29 batters, posted a 1.17 ERA, and notched a perfect 4-0 record.
• Walker Buehler is now the ace of the staff. Buehler went 2-0 in the postseason, pitched 25 innings, posted a 1.80 ERA, and struck out 39 batters. 
• Rookies Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, and Victor Gonzalez pitched in high-pressure situations and will be major contributors in the years to come.
• Though struggling in the 60-game sprint after an MVP season in 2019, Cody Bellinger had some timely hits in the playoffs and should rebound nicely in 2021.
• Austin Barnes, known for his defense, hit .320 in the postseason.
• Joc Pederson, who had a dismal regular season, hit .382 with two homers and eight RBI coming off the bench in the postseason.
• Max Muncy, another Dodger who had an off-year, hit .318 in the Series with a homer and five walks.
• Justin Turner hit .320 in the Series with two dingers.

It took 32 years, but the championship trophy now resides in the City of Angels.