It’s been a long 12 years for the LA Dodgers as they waited for an MLB World Series win. Since then, they have picked up 12 West Division titles and three National League pennants, but could never bring home the trophy. After starting strong in the Fall Classic this year, the Tampa Bay Rays threatened to deny the Dodgers once again after LA’s latest failures in 2017 and 2018, but some prudent planning by GM Dave Roberts may have saved the day. The 2020 World Series was pushed out to six games before a winner was found and before the Dodgers could feel vindicated. 

Roberts made a decision early on in the series to keep two relief pitchers in the dugout and the fact that they were able to rest up proved key in last night’s Game 6. Dylan Floro replaced Tony Gonsolin in the second inning and ended up leaving Randy Arozarena, the Rays’ go-to slugger – at home plate with two runners on base to stave off an attack. Alex Wood took over in the third and fourth innings, picking up three strikeouts and making quick work of the Rays. Gonsolin had been a big part of the Dodgers’ success in Game 5, but Floro and Wood, who were joined by four other pitchers throughout the rest of the Dodgers’ time on the field, gave him a much-needed break and performed above expectations. 

Austin Barnes, who protects home plate for the Dodgers, said of the pitching crew after the game, “They just made their pitches, they executed, they didn’t let the moment get to them. The first two innings were a grind for us, we were a little bit on our heels for the first part of the game, and those guys kept us in it. Those guys won us the game.”

The Rays got things started with a homer off the bat of Arozarena in the first. That gave him the MLB record for the most hits in a postseason with 29, as well as the record for the most total bases – at 64 – in a postseason. That was the only run on the board by the Rays for the entire game. The Dodgers made sure they shut down Arozarena for the rest of the night.