During his postgame Zoom media conference following the Dodgers’ 8-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game-1 of the 2020 World Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX on Tuesday night, Dodgers superstar right fielder Mookie Betts was asked which of his accomplishments (with an ‘s’) he was most proud of? This was most certainly a valid question, as there were indeed several to choose from. All the future Hall of Famer did was:

• Go 2-for-4 with an RBI, two runs scored, and a walk in his five plate appearances;
• Hit an opposite-field solo home run;
• Steal two bases in the same inning after reaching on a walk;
• Score from third base on a contact play with the infield in on a ground ball to first;
• Single to left.

One would certainly think Betts’ oppo taco in the sixth inning is what he would be proudest of. But Betts, who takes tremendous pride in his baserunning prowess, said that it was the contact play on which he scored from third base.

“Once I get on the basepaths, I’m just trying to touch home,” Betts said. “However I get there is how I get there. But I’m going to be aggressive on the basepaths.”

And proud he should be. Although he didn’t realize it at the time, the last player to walk and steal two bases in the same inning during a World Series game was some guy named Babe Ruth in 1921.

Betts and the Babe have something else in common; they were both traded away by the Boston Red Sox (ouch).

“We’re so lucky to have him on our team,” said defending National League MVP Cody Bellinger. “He’s a superstar guy, superstar talent, but he does all the little things right. You can really learn from that when a guy’s that good and he just wants to win.”

Speaking of Bellinger, he, too, had a great game. The 25-year-old Scottsdale, AZ native and Dodgers fourth-round draft pick in 2013 out of  Hamilton High School in Chandler, AZ hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning and robbed Rays pinch-hitter Austin Meadows of a home run in the top of the ninth.

Of course, none of this would have been possible were it not for the outstanding performance of yet another future Hall of Famer – 32-year-old Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who was nothing short of brilliant in his 29th postseason and fifth World Series start. Although the Dallas, TX native and Dodgers first-rounder in 2006 out of  Highland Park High School in University Park, TX was bitten once again by the home run bug, a solo shot by Rays centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier in the fifth, Kershaw went six strong innings, allowing just the one run on two hits while walking one and striking out eight. Vintage Kershaw indeed.

“I thought he was throwing the baseball well, so he was going to go back out there until we started adding on some more runs,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said when asked about Kershaw pitching the sixth inning. “I felt good the way he was throwing the baseball.”

Throwing the baseball well indeed.

Play Ball!

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