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Los Angeles Times

Sport

Bill Plaschke

Bill Plaschke: Dodgers put on a show and return World Series to status quo in Game 3

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) is tagged out by Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi (26), who jumped to catch an errant throw from shortstop Willy Adames, in the eighth inning in Game 3 of the World Series on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

There, that's more like it.

Whew, sigh, dizzying and daring Dodger normalcy has returned the World Series.

Two days after tumbling, the greatest baseball show on Earth took flight again Friday, spinning the Tampa Bay Rays silly with an eye-popping array of baseball acrobatics.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning in Game 3 of the World Series on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

The Dodgers won Game 3, 6-2, while taking a two-games-to-one lead with the sort of diverse dominance that surely left the Rays wondering.

"I've been on the other side and it's tough. ... It's kind of tough to stop the bleeding," said the Dodgers' Mookie Betts. "We did a good job of keeping the pressure."

You want pressure? They turned the Rays a deep shade of Dodger blue with pressure.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Austin Barnes hits a solo home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the sixth inning in Game 3 of the World Series on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

The Dodgers beat them with their arms, ace Walker Buehler displaying his big-game magic by allowing one run and just three hits over six innings with 10 strikeouts.

The Dodgers also beat them with their feet, Corey Seager starting an early uprising by taking a curveball off his toes.

The Dodgers beat them long, Justin Turner beginning their scoring in the first inning with a blast into the left field seats, Austin Barnes ending the scoring in the sixth with a homer that dropped over the left-center field fence.

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi (26) makes the catch for the out on Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) during the first inning of Game 3 of the World Series on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)

The Dodgers also beat them short, Barnes dropping down the first successful squeeze bunt in the World Series in a dozen years. (That's right, the same guy drove in run with a homer and a bunt in the same game for only the second time in World Series history. Pretty neat for a part-time catcher, huh?)

"It's a cool stat," Barnes acknowledged.

The Dodgers beat them with their defense, Turner making a nifty snag of a wicked Mike Zunino grounder in the third inning to start a double play that stopped the Rays in their tracks.

Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Randy Arozarena (56), left, and Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier (39) watch as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes' (15) home run goes over the outfield fence during the sixth inning of Game 3 of the World Series on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)

The Dodgers also beat them with their bullpen, Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol and Kenley Jansen combining to hold the Rays to one hit — a Randy Arozarena homer off Jansen — in three innings.

Seen enough? The Rays certainly had enough.

By the time the game ended under the closed roof of Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, night was coming early for a Rays team that had collected just four hits, struck out 13 times and watched their October ace Charlie Morton get shelled for five runs in less than five innings.

Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher John Curtiss (84) looks on as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes (15) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of Game 3 of the World Series on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)

The reality of this series remains clear. The only way the Dodgers can be stopped is if they stop themselves.

"Everybody's aware of the drought in L.A.," said Barnes. "The fans are itching for a championship, and we're working hard with (manager Dave Roberts) to try to bring home a championship for the city of L.A."

Even the most cautious Dodgers fan must admit this weekend's games are shaping up for the Dodgers to earmark Sunday as the day they clinch their first World Series championship in 32 years.

Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner (10) scores on a solo home run in the first inning as Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino (10) looks on during Game 3 of the World Series on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)

In Game 4 Saturday, the Dodgers have a huge pitching advantage, sending out Julio Urias with an 0.56 ERA in four postseason appearances against a bunch of Rays relievers.

In Game 5 Sunday, the Dodgers have a huge future Hall of Famer advantage, sending Clayton Kershaw against Tyler Glasnow.

Friday was supposed to be the best pitching matchup of the series, but only one ace showed up.

Tampa Bay Rays players watch play during the ninth inning of Game 3 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)

Buehler, the Dodgers' best pressure pitcher with a 2.44 ERA in 10 previous postseason starts, didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning.

Morton, who was 5-0 with an 0.70 ERA in five career postseason starts for the Rays, couldn't get out of the fifth inning.

Buehler's dominance was verbalized early. After throwing two 97-mph fastballs past Brandon Lowe in the first inning, he struck him out looking on an 82-mph curve, after which Lowe shook his head and cried out something to the effect of, "Wow."

Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Randy Arozarena (56) breaks for first base as his fly ball is caught by Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger (35) during the fourth inning in Game 3 of the World Series on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)

On it went for six innings until Buehler struck out the last two hitters he faced, Lowe and Arozarena striking out flailing on pitches that left them wide-eyed as if they had just encountered ghosts.

"He was unbelievable, he really was," said Barnes. "That might have been the best I've ever seen his stuff."

Meanwhile, Morton was flustered and wearied by a Dodgers team looking for revenge. Remember, while pitching for the cheating Houston Astros in 2017, he was on the mound for the last 12 outs of the World Series at Dodger Stadium.

Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Randy Arozarena (56) connects for a solo home run in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)

The Dodgers vexed him in ways big and small. On Morton's fourth pitch to his third hitter, Turner unleashed a giant swing to give the Dodgers the early lead. The Dodgers scored twice more in the third after the tiniest thing, Morton bouncing a two-out curveball that nicked Seager in the foot. Six pitches later Turner struck again with a double, then he and Seager scored on a line drive by Max Muncy, giving the Dodgers a record 48 two-out runs in this postseason.

"Just not giving up," said Betts. "There's two outs but you can still build an inning. ... That's how you win a World Series."

For Morton, the Dodgers saved their best for last, demoralizing him in the fourth when, with runners on first and third, Barnes laid down a perfect bunt toward first base to score a sprinting Cody Bellinger.