Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Victor Gonzalez showed off some incredible reflexes with a remarkable double play in Tuesday’s 8-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays as he helped his team get the World Series off to a winning start.
The Mexican pitched a blistering 95-mile-per-hour ball at Tampa’s Mike Zunino, and when the catcher hit it straight back at him, he not only caught it but quickly turned around to offload it to second base, where the Rays’ Mike Brosseau was caught out.
Speedy Gonzalez. ? pic.twitter.com/BFxRuWrmXN
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was in awe of the play.
OMG ?! What a catch & double play!
Gonzalez may have produced the highlight of the game, but his was just one of several impressive Dodgers performances at the Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Pitcher Clayton Kershaw dominated the contest for six innings, during which he allowed just two hits.
He also struck out eight Rays – taking his total to 201 career postseason strikeouts – and retired 17 of the last 18 batters he faced, 13 of them consecutively. He needs just four more postseason strikeouts to equal Justin Verlander’s all-time record.
♣♠ ACE ♥♦@ClaytonKersh22 was dealing last night, taking his total #Postseason strikeout tally over 2⃣0⃣0⃣ on the way to victory ?#MLB#WorldSeries#Dodgerspic.twitter.com/lj38Y1db8I
James singled him out for praise after the game.
1 down! @ClaytonKersh22 was himself(which is AMAZING), @mookiebetts did it all, @Cody_Bellinger went yard again and the whole team was simply damn good! @Dodgers. #OnToTheNextOne
Meanwhile, Mookie Betts became the first player in World Series history – this is the 116th edition of the competition – to score two runs, a home run and steal two bases.
? We interrupt the scheduled broadcast with a special edition of THE MOOKIE SHOW ?Two stolen bases, two runs scored, and a home run for good measure, @mookiebetts is a history-maker ?#MLB#Postseason#WorldSeries#Dodgerspic.twitter.com/wjfGm3G8rA
The Dodgers are bidding to win their first World Series since 1988. They reached the World Series in 2017 and 2018, but lost to the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox, respectively.
Tampa are one of five teams to reach the World Series, but are yet to win it.
