Clayton Kershaw can pitch just fine in October, thank you very much — and after his performance in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers are within three wins of their first championship in 32 years.
Kershaw carved through the Tampa Bay Rays‘ lineup, retiring 17 of the final 18 batters he faced and leading the Dodgers to an 8-3 victory in Game 1 of the 116th World Series.
Cody Bellinger, who hit the go-ahead home run in the Dodgers’ Game 7 victory over the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series, blasted a two-run homer off Tampa Bay starter Tyler Glasnow in the fourth inning to break a scoreless tie.
Back-to-back walks by Glasnow to begin the fifth inning were followed by Mookie Betts and Corey Seager executing a double steal. Betts scored on a Muncy fielder’s choice, Seager scored on a Will Smith single, Muncy on a Chris Taylor single and Smith on a Kike Hernandez single. Just like that, the Dodgers were ahead 6-1.