{"id":39888,"date":"2020-10-26T03:32:20","date_gmt":"2020-10-26T07:32:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=39888"},"modified":"2020-10-26T03:32:20","modified_gmt":"2020-10-26T07:32:20","slug":"dodgers-rays-20201025-worldseries-game5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2020\/10\/26\/dodgers-rays-20201025-worldseries-game5\/","title":{"rendered":"Dodgers One Win Away from Title as Kershaw Beats Rays"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Dodgers 4, Rays 2<\/h2>\n<p>Following Game Four&#8217;s excitement, Game Five was definitely must-see television. A rematch of Game One starters went the same way it did five days prior, with a Dodgers victory.\u00a0 The <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/mlb-teams\/los-angeles-dodgers\/\" target=\"_self\">Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a><\/strong> will have a chance to close out the series over the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/mlb-teams\/tampa-bay-rays\/\" target=\"_self\">Tampa Bay Rays<\/a> <\/strong>and hoist the Commissioner&#8217;s Trophy on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n<h3>Quick Start<\/h3>\n<p>With the lineup that the Dodgers have, Rays pitchers know they must be on point from pitch one. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/g\/glasnty01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tyler Glasnow<\/a><\/strong> was not that. A <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bettsmo01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mookie Betts<\/a><\/strong> double followed by a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/seageco01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Corey Seager<\/a><\/strong> single put the Dodgers on the board with no outs recorded. Seager continued the Dodgers aggressive series base running, moving up to third on a wild pitch.\u00a0 That resulted in him being able to score the second run of the inning. With two outs, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bellico01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cody Bellinger<\/a><\/strong> reached on an infield single, a ball Seager doesn&#8217;t score on from second base.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/p\/pederjo01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Joc Pederson<\/a> <\/strong>and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/m\/muncyma01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Max Muncy<\/a><\/strong> provided the third and fourth runs via the solo home run. All scoring was done by the top of the fifth. That was all that future Hall of Famer <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/k\/kershcl01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Clayton Kershaw<\/a><\/strong> needed.<\/p>\n<p>Game Four was the only game of the Series where the team who scored first didn&#8217;t win the game. The Dodgers have now scored first in four of the five games.<\/p>\n<h3>Fourth Inning Frustration<\/h3>\n<p>Base runners are like gold in baseball. The ability to get guys on and put up crooked numbers helps teams win ballgames. After cutting the lead down to one in the third, the Rays had a huge opportunity to tie or take the lead in the fourth. This was an inning they surely wish they could have back.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/m\/margoma01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Manuel Margot<\/a> <\/strong>walked to lead off the frame. He stole second and moved to third on a throwing error by the catcher. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/r\/renfrhu01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hunter Renfroe<\/a> <\/strong>also walked, putting men on the corners with no one out. The Rays now had two opportunities to drive in Margot without even needing a base hit. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wendljo01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Joey Wendle<\/a> <\/strong>popped up on the second pitch of his at-bat, bringing <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/a\/adamewi01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Willy Adames<\/a> <\/strong>to the plate. Adames has struggled hitting and many would not have faulted <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/managers\/cashke01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Cash<\/a><\/strong> for putting on a safety squeeze play there. Trading an out for the tying run would have definitely sat well with the Rays in that situation.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, Adames struck out swinging, bringing <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/k\/kiermke01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Kiermaier<\/a><\/strong> to the plate. With two out, Margot decided to try and score on the most exciting play in baseball. His steal of home, however, was cut down by Kershaw&#8217;s quick thinking and Austin Barnes&#8217; perfect tag.\u00a0 Not exactly an inning the Rays will want to remember any time soon.<\/p>\n<h3>Bold Dave Roberts<\/h3>\n<p>Being a manager isn&#8217;t easy, especially when it comes to the decision to remove your star pitcher. That&#8217;s exactly what happened when <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/managers\/roberda07.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dave Roberts<\/a> <\/strong>walked to the mound in the sixth. Kershaw had been dealing, retiring eight straight since the back-to-back walks. Roberts still decided that it was time to turn it over the bullpen, much to the dismay of the Dodger faithful.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/m\/maydu01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dustin May<\/a><\/strong> came in and did just what Roberts needed. Throw strikes and get outs. May gave the Dodgers 1 2\/3 innings of scoreless ball before the next big move was to be made. Roberts went to his lefty <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gonzavi02.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Victor Gonzalez<\/a><\/strong>, forcing Cash to dive into his bench, burning two hitters for one at-bat. This was something that would play huge against Cash and the Rays. Gonzalez provided the necessary bridge to get to <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/t\/treinbl01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Blake Treinen<\/a><\/strong> in the ninth.<\/p>\n<h3>Up Next<\/h3>\n<p>Game Six is scheduled for 8:07 Eastern\/5:07 Pacific on Tuesday Night.<\/p>\n<p>With the Dodgers on the brink of a championship, the Dodgers have yet to announce their Game Six starter. Most would speculate it could be <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gonsoto01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tony Gonsolin<\/a><\/strong>, who started Game Two.\u00a0 A few innings of him, and over to the bullpen it would go.<\/p>\n<p>The Rays will have <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/snellbl01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Blake Snell<\/a> <\/strong>to try and avoid elimination. Snell limited the Dodgers to three runs in 5 2\/3 innings back in Game Two. The Rays will need more of the same to force a deciding Game Seven.<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo<br \/>\n<a id=\"o0omS9HLRZxnN308T8ENng\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1282230849\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'o0omS9HLRZxnN308T8ENng',sig:'BwYlGSEpBGU55cRtROQ9We3WZHxck1xiLoQwac3R0XY=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1282230849',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dodgers 4, Rays 2 Following Game Four&#8217;s excitement, Game Five was definitely must-see television. A rematch of Game One starters went the same way it did five days prior, with a Dodgers victory.\u00a0 The Los Angeles Dodgers will have a chance to close out the series over the Tampa Bay Rays and hoist the Commissioner&#8217;s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3348,"featured_media":39893,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33,1071,6],"tags":[97,257,423,92,2240,566,1245],"class_list":["post-39888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dodgers","category-mlb","category-rays","tag-clayton-kershaw","tag-dave-roberts","tag-joc-pederson","tag-los-angeles-dodgers","tag-max-muncy","tag-tampa-bay-rays","tag-tyler-glasnow"],"modified_by":"Evan Thompson","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3348"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39888"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39888\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}