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Los Angeles Times

Sport

Jack Harris

Justin Turner restores his World Series groove and sparks Dodgers in win

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)

ARLINGTON, Texas — Every time Justin Turner's bat used to heat up, the rest of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup would go cold.

It had become an annual explanation behind the team's past playoff eliminations, Turner's strong performances never enough on their own to save the club from five straight October failures.

Finally, help has arrived. This year, the Dodgers haven't needed Turner to pick up the slack. For long stretches, he's even struggled. They're two wins from a title nonetheless.

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)

"This postseason in particular hasn't been that great for me personally," Turner said Friday, after hitting a home run and a double in the team's 6-2 win in Game 3 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. "But I've been grinding away and working with our hitting guys and finally felt a little bit better tonight."

Indeed, this has been Turner's least-productive postseason by the numbers. In the final year of his contract, the 35-year-old entered Friday with a .216 batting average in the playoffs, his worst since going hitless in two playoff games in 2014.

Yet, the red-headed veteran had still picked key spots to shine. Game 3 became the latest example.

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)

With the team coming off its first loss in five games, Turner got them off to a quick start in the first inning, turning Rays starter Charlie Morton's high fastball into a solo home run that gave the team an early lead.

It was Turner's 11th career playoff homer, tying Duke Snider for the franchise's all-time record. It was the Dodgers' 46th run scored with two outs in the postseason, tying an MLB record in the wild card era (which dates back to 1999).

There were again two outs for Turner's next at-bat in the third, when he fought off a 2-2 sinker from Morton before lining a curveball into left for a double. That hit tied him with Chipper Jones for the most postseason doubles by a third baseman in MLB history.

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)

And when Max Muncy drove Turner and Corey Seager (who had been hit by a pitch in the inning) home in the next at-bat, it gave the Dodgers the two-out runs record all to themselves. Their total had reached 50 by the end of the night.

Perhaps Turner's biggest contribution Friday, however, came in the following half-inning.

After Walker Buehler allowed his first base runner of the night on a one-out walk in the bottom of the third, Rays catcher Mike Zunino smoked a ground ball to third that had an awkward hop. Turner cleanly fielded it anyway and began an inning-ending double-play, cementing the Dodgers' momentum and squelching one of the Rays' few threats in Buehler's six-inning, one-run gem.

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)

This has been the story of the postseason for Turner. He isn't dragging all the weight in this Dodgers' postseason run. But he's still making sure to carry his own.

"He's the heart and soul of this team," catcher Austin Barnes said. "JT is a big player for us. He's a great guy in the clubhouse. We rely on him all the time."

It's been a reversal from Turner's usual experience in the playoffs, where he performs well yet the team comes up short.

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)

In the 2017 postseason, he homered four times, drove in 14 runs and, despite cooling off in the World Series against the Houston Astros, still had three extra-base hits in the seven-game battle. But the Dodgers' season ended with him standing on-deck.

In 2018, he racked up 20 hits in 16 playoffs games and hit .333 in the World Series with two doubles. The Dodgers lost that Fall Classic to the Red Sox four-games-to-one.

And last October, the Dodgers didn't even get out of the first round despite his two home runs, five RBI and a 1.000 on-base-plus-slugging in a five-game NLDS.

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)

Turner could tell this team was different though, from their intense intrasquad scrimmages to the way they bought into a stricter set of health and safety protocols Turner spearheaded early in the regular season.

"From Day One, we came out as a group and said if there's a championship to be won, we're going to go after it and we're going to try to run it down," Turner said. "So playing good teams, a difficult format, not playing at home, being in a bubble, not seeing a lot of the teams all year long that we're playing in the postseason — there's a lot of challenges that go into winning a championship this year. It's still gonna be special."