ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 10:10 p.m. With postseason star Julio Urías on the mound, the Los Angeles Dodgers are clinging to a 2-1 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays heading into the eighth inning. Brusdar Graterol got the first two outs of the seventh for the Dodgers before giving up a single to Mike Zunino, his first hit in 16 at-bats during this Fall Classic. Urías, the seventh Dodgers pitcher, entered and threw a called third strike past pinch-hitter Yandy Díaz. Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks worked around Will Smith’s leadoff double in the bottom of the seventh to keep it a one-run game. Smith’s drive went off the wall in the left-field corner by the 329-foot sign. ___ 9:30 p.m. The Los Angeles Dodgers pushed across two runs after Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash pulled a dominant Blake Snell in the sixth inning, taking a 2-1 lead over the Rays in Game 6 of the World Series. Cash came out... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 9:30 p.m. The Los Angeles Dodgers pushed across two runs after Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash pulled a dominant Blake Snell in the sixth inning, taking a 2-1 lead over the Rays in Game 6 of the World Series. Cash came out to get Snell after No. 9 hitter Austin Barnes singled with one out for the Dodgers’ second hit. Snell had thrown just 73 pitches, and the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner looked as if he disagreed with the quick hook. Mookie Betts then greeted Nick Anderson with a double, and Barnes scored the tying run on a wild pitch. Betts scored on Corey Seager’s grounder to first baseman Ji-Man Choi, easily beating the throw home. The pitching change likely will be questioned for years to come should the Rays lose, ending their title hopes. Betts had a .531 OPS against lefties this season, compared to 1.061 versus right-handers. ___ 9 p.m. Blake Snell is... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 9 p.m. Blake Snell is sailing along and dominating the Los Angeles Dodgers as the Tampa Bay Rays hold a 1-0 lead through five innings on Randy Arozarena’s homer in the first. Snell, the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner, has struck out nine and set down nine straight batters. The only baserunner he’s allowed came on Chris Taylor’s leadoff single in the third. The left-hander has thrown 69 pitches, 45 for strikes. Snell hasn’t pitched six innings in a game since July 2019. Snell joined Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax as the only pitchers to pile up nine strikeouts through the first four innings of a World Series game. Koufax did it for the Dodgers in the 1963 opener against the New York Yankees. The only inning without a strikeout for Snell was the fifth, when he retired Will Smith on a fly to right, Cody Bellinger on a grounder to first and Taylor on a check-swing... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 8:40 p.m. Rays starter Blake Snell is cruising through the Dodgers lineup for a second time, helping Tampa Bay maintain a 1-0 lead through four innings. Snell overwhelmed the Dodgers’ 2-3-4 hitters in the fourth, striking out Corey Seager, Justin Turner and Max Muncy. Snell has nine strikeouts and only allowed one hit on 55 pitches. The left-hander hasn’t completed five innings since Game 1 of the AL Championship Series but seems primed to go deep in this one. The 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner isn’t always so reliable in the middle innings. Snell limited batters to a .140 average the first time through the order in the regular season but allowed a .307 mark the second time around. Dodgers starter-turned-reliever Alex Wood completed two perfect innings by striking out a pair in the fourth. The left-hander with a funky delivery has punched out five over four... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 8:25 p.m. Blake Snell is through three innings and his Rays still lead 1-0. Chris Taylor hit a leadoff single to become the Dodgers’ first runner, but was stranded at second base when Snell struck out Mookie Betts for the second time in the game. Snell has fanned six in three innings. Tampa Bay keeps helping itself with its gloves, too. Third baseman Joey Wendle and first baseman Ji-Man Choi teamed up for one out and catcher Mike Zunino neatly blocked a breaking ball by Snell to prevent Taylor from advancing. Alex Wood became the Dodgers’ third pitcher of the game when he took over to begin the third, and he breezed through a perfect inning. ___ 8 p.m. Tony Gonsolin is gone early again, and Blake Snell hasn’t allowed a hit through two innings again at the World Series. The Los Angeles starter was replaced by Dylan Floro after walking Ji-Man Choi to put two... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 7:35 p.m. Randy Arozarena extended his postseason record with his 10th home run and Blake Snell struck out the side as the Tampa Bay Rays took a 1-0 lead after the first inning in Game 6 of the World Series, when a win by the Los Angeles Dodgers would give them their first title since 1988. It was Arozarena’s third homer in the World Series, the first time a rookie has hit three in the Series since Charlie Keller did it for the New York Yankees in 1939. Arozarena became the first rookie to drive in a run in four consecutive Series games. Arozarena went the opposite way in the top of the first, homering to right off rookie right-hander Tony Gonsolin with one out. Austin Meadows then hit a hard single and Brandon Lowe, who homered off Gonsolin in Game 2, walked before Manuel Margot had a flyout and Joey Wendle struck out. Snell, the 2018 AL Cy Young Award... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 7:10 p.m. The Los Angeles Dodgers took a 3-2 World Series lead into Game 6 against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night, one win from their first title since 1988. The Dodgers were in Brooklyn when they lost the World Series in 1916, 1920, 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952 and 1953, then finally won their first championship when Johnny Podres completed an eight-hit shutout in Game 7 in 1955 when Elston Howard grounded to Pee Wee Reese, who threw to first baseman Gil Hodges for the final out. After moving to Los Angeles following the 1957 season, the Dodgers added titles in 1959, when Larry Sherry was MVP after getting two wins and two saves, and 1963 and 1965, when Sandy Koufax went 4-1 and was twice MVP. Titles followed in 1981 and in 1988, the latter when Orel Hershiser earned the MVP by going 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA. While Tony Gonsolin started Game 6 on Tuesday night,... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 5:45 p.m. The Tampa Bay Rays received some encouraging words from former President Barack Obama ahead of Game 6. Obama spoke at a rally in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday in support of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and referenced the Rays’ five-game loss to the Philadelphia Phillies 12 years ago. “I don’t know if we’ve got any Tampa Bay Rays fans here in Orlando,” Obama said. “Big game tonight. It’s do-or-die time. The last time the Rays were in the World Series in 2008, Florida sent me to the White House. The Rays fell just a bit short then, but, here in Florida, Democrats fell a little bit short in 2016 also. Over the next couple of weeks, Florida, you’ve got the chance to fix two mistakes. You’ve got the chance to set two things right. You can bring a World Series championship to the Sunshine State, and you can send Joe Biden and Kamala Harris... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (all times local): 5:20 p.m. The Tampa Bay Rays are going with the same nine players in the batting order for Game 6 against Tony Gonsolin, but shuffled the top four for their second game in this World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers rookie right-hander. First baseman Ji-Man Choi is leading off Tuesday night, followed by left fielder Randy Arozarena, designated hitter Austin Meadows and second baseman Brandon Lowe. In Game 2 last Wednesday, when the Rays won 6-4, it went Meadows, Lowe, Arozarena and Choi. The rest of the lineup is the same, right fielder Manuel Margo batting fifth, ahead of third baseman Joey Wendle, shortstop Willy Adames, center fielder Kevin Kiermaier and catcher Mike Zunino. In the leadoff spot this season, Choi is hitting .115 (3 for 26) with one homer and four walks. Los Angeles has used the same batters in the top six spots for every game of... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Since Orel Hershiser struck out Oakland’s Tony Phillips for the final out of the 1988 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers have played 5,014 regular-season games and 113 more in the postseason in pursuit of their next title. They have spent $3.69 billion in player payroll over 32 seasons. One more win and that elusive seventh championship will be theirs. “I think it’s going to be really welcoming to the players, this generation,” Hershiser said Monday, a day before the Dodgers take a 3-2 World Series lead into Game 6 against the Tampa Bay Rays. “It’s definitely a generational win for this group of guys and I’m thinking of the Kenley Jansens, the Clayton Kershaws, the Justin Turners, the guys that have been here through all the division titles.” Kershaw got his second win of the Series on Sunday, and Tony Gonsolin starts Tuesday against the Rays’ Blake Snell. The rookie right-hander hopes to keep the World Series from reaching a Game 7 for the fourth time in five... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Since Orel Hershiser struck out Oakland’s Tony Phillips for the final out of the 1988 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers have played 5,014 regular-season games and 113 more in the postseason in pursuit of their next title. They have spent $3.69 billion in player payroll over 32 seasons. One more win and that elusive seventh championship will be theirs. “I think it’s going to be really welcoming to the players, this generation,” Hershiser said Monday, a day before the Dodgers take a 3-2 World Series lead into Game 6 against the Tampa Bay Rays. “It’s definitely a generational win for this group of guys and I’m thinking of the Kenley Jansens, the Clayton Kershaws, the Justin Turners, the guys that have been here through all the division titles.” Kershaw got his second win of the Series on Sunday, and Tony Gonsolin starts Tuesday against the Rays’ Blake Snell. The rookie right-hander hopes to keep the World Series from reaching a Game 7 for the fourth time in five... [More]

Joc Pederson is the guy the Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t need or want — until October. After nearly being traded in February and hitting .190 during the regular season, Pederson is coming up big in the postseason. Pederson crushed a fastball from Rays starter Tyler Glasnow over the left-center field wall leading off the second inning Sunday night, extending LA's lead to 3-0. After enduring a stunning 8-7 loss in Game 4, the Dodgers rebounded early and went on to a 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay. Los Angeles is one win from its first World Series championship since 1988. “They don't call it Joctober for no reason,” said teammate Max Muncy, who added a solo shot in the fifth. “The guy performs on the huge stage, that's just what he does.” Pederson could tell his 428-foot drive immediately was gone. “They don’t want that smoke,” he bellowed upon returning to the dugout. “Come on, let’s go!” It was the Dodgers’ 28th home run of the postseason after leading the majors with 118 during the regular season.... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Manuel Margot snuck a few steps down the line and took off toward home plate, trying to steal a run for Tampa Bay. “It was my decision, 100% my decision,” Margot said through a translator. “I thought it was a good idea at the time. I thought I had a pretty good chance at potentially being safe.” He came up a little short — just like the rest of the Rays in their attempt to swipe Game 5 from the Dodgers and go ahead in this World Series. A night after Tampa Bay's stunning ninth-inning victory, which ended with Randy Arozarena on his stomach and slapping home plate after scoring the winning run, Margot couldn’t get his hand there before getting tagged out by catcher Austin Barnes. That inning-ending play in the fourth was the last time the Rays got that close to scoring in a 4-2 loss to Los Angeles on Sunday night that left Tampa Bay with a 3-2 Series deficit. “It was a gutsy move, and it didn’t work," said Kevin Kiermaier, the batter when Margot got caught. “That’s... [More]

Joc Pederson is the guy the Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t need or want — until October. After nearly being traded in February and hitting .190 in the regular season, Pederson is coming up big in the postseason. Pederson crushed a fastball from Rays starter Tyler Glasnow over the left-center field wall leading off the second Sunday night, extending LA's lead to 3-0. After enduring a stunning 8-7 loss in Game 4, the Dodgers rebounded early and went on to a 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay. Los Angeles is one win away from its first World Series championship since 1988. “They don't call it Joctober for no reason,” said Max Muncy, who added a solo shot in the fifth. “The guy performs on the huge stage, that's just what he does.” Pederson could tell his 428-foot blast immediately was gone. “They don’t want that smoke,” Pederson bellowed upon returning to the dugout. “Come on, let’s go!” It was the Dodgers’ 28th home run of the postseason after leading the majors with 118 during the regular season. Pederson... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 5 of the World Series (all times local): 10:40 p.m. Clayton Kershaw beat the Tampa Bay Rays for the second time in six days, escaping a fourth-inning jam with a quick reaction throw to cut down a runner trying for a rare steal of home plate, and the Los Angeles Dodgers held on for a 4-2 win Sunday night and a 3-2 World Series lead. With one more victory, the Dodgers would claim their first title since 1988. Mookie Betts and Corey Seager sparked a two-run first inning, and Joc Pederson and Max Muncy homered off long-ball prone Tyler Glasnow, whose 100 mph heat was no match. Kershaw was cruising when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed the 32-year-old left-hander in favor of Dustin May with two outs in the sixth inning. The mostly pro-Dodgers fans in the pandemic-reduced crowd of 11,437 booed when Roberts walked to the mound, well aware that closer Kenley Jansen wasted a ninth-inning lead in Saturday’s stunning 8-7 loss. May got five outs and Victor... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Manuel Margot snuck a few steps down the line and took off toward home plate, trying to steal a run for Tampa Bay. He came up a little short — just like the rest of the Rays in their attempt to nab Game 5 and go ahead in this World Series. A night after Tampa Bay's stunning ninth-inning victory, which ended with Randy Arozarena on his stomach and slapping home plate after scoring the winning run, Margot couldn’t get his hand there before getting tagged out by catcher Austin Barnes. That inning-ending play in the fourth was the last time the Rays got that close to scoring in a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night that left Tampa Bay in a 3-2 Series deficit. Needing a win to force a deciding Game 7, the Rays are set to start 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell on Tuesday night. The lefty struck out nine in 4 2/3 innings when the Rays won 6-4 in Game 2 last Wednesday. Tampa Bay trailed 3-2 against three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw... [More]

Joc Pederson is the guy the Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t need or want — until October. After nearly being traded in February and hitting .190 in the regular season, Pederson is coming up big in the postseason. Pederson crushed a fastball from Rays starter Tyler Glasnow over the left-center field wall leading off the second Sunday night, extending LA's lead to 3-0. After enduring a stunning 8-7 loss in Game 4, the Dodgers rebounded early and went on to a 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay. Los Angeles leads 3-2 in the best-of-seven Series. The left-handed slugger could tell immediately it was gone. “They don’t want that smoke,” Pederson bellowed upon returning to the dugout. “Come on, let’s go!” It was the Dodgers’ 28th home run of the postseason after leading the majors with 118 during the regular season. Pederson homered in the Dodgers' losing efforts in the 2017 and 2018 World Series, too. He doesn't have a set spot in the Dodgers' loaded lineup. But Pederson fits in just about everywhere. He started... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 5 of the World Series (all times local): 10:40 p.m. Clayton Kershaw beat the Tampa Bay Rays for the second time in six days, escaping a fourth-inning jam with a quick reaction throw to cut down a runner trying for a rare steal of home plate, and the Los Angeles Dodgers held on for a 4-2 win Sunday night and a 3-2 World Series lead. With one more victory, the Dodgers would claim their first title since 1988. Mookie Betts and Corey Seager sparked a two-run first inning, and Joc Pederson and Max Muncy homered off long-ball prone Tyler Glasnow, whose 100 mph heat was no match. Kershaw was cruising when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed the 32-year-old left-hander in favor of Dustin May with two outs in the sixth inning. The mostly pro-Dodgers fans in the pandemic-reduced crowd of 11,437 booed when Roberts walked to the mound, well aware that closer Kenley Jansen wasted a ninth-inning lead in Saturday’s stunning 8-7 loss. May got five outs and Victor... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 5 of the World Series (all times local): 9:50 p.m. Dustin May is keeping the Rays’ bats quiet with an impressive relief outing -- and making Dodgers manager Dave Roberts look smart for summoning him to replace an effective Clayton Kershaw. The rookie right-hander with the wild shock of bright red hair has retired all four batters he’s faced (two on strikeouts) to protect a 4-2 lead for Los Angeles through seven innings. May, who had been struggling in the postseason, is consistently throwing 99-101 mph with major movement. A fired-up May struck out pinch-hitter Austin Meadows to begin a 1-2-3 seventh that was aided by Joc Pederson’s nice running catch in deep left-center field. May entered with a 5.00 ERA in six previous appearances covering nine innings this postseason. He had allowed nine hits and walked six. Tampa Bay reliever Diego Castillo made quick work of the first three hitters in the Dodgers’ lineup in the top of the seventh. The best-of-seven... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 5 of the World Series (all times local): 9:31 p.m. Two pitches, two outs for Clayton Kershaw in the sixth. And then, just like that, he got pulled by manager Dave Roberts. Perhaps that was the plan Sunday night, maybe that’s what the book said, yank him after 21 batters, no matter what. But the Dodgers lefty was done after 85 pitches. Not that the LA fans at Globe Life Field liked the decision -- a few thousand of them booed, before cheering for Kershaw as he walked off. Struggling reliever Dustin May entered and struck out Manuel Margot with a 101 mph fastball to end the inning with the Dodgers ahead 4-2. Rays manager Kevin Cash went to his bullpen to begin the sixth, taking out starter Tyler Glasnow. Relievers Aaron Loup and Diego Castillo combined for a hitless inning. ___ 9:15 p.m. Max Muncy launched a no-doubt homer into the right-field seats, and the Los Angeles Dodgers lead the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 through five innings. Muncy turned on a 99... [More]