TORONTO — It was a sport that began on Saturday and ended on Sunday, a World Sequence contest so filled with the uncommon, the historic and the dramatic that it couldn’t presumably be confined to someday.
At 11 innings, it was the longest Recreation 7 this century, and it equaled the longest in additional than a century. It was the primary Recreation 7 that had a ninth-inning dwelling run to tie the rating and the primary to function two video critiques that prevented the go-ahead run from scoring.
“It’s one of many best video games I’ve ever been part of,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated after his staff outlasted the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 to win its second straight World Sequence and finish the longest season in franchise historical past, one which started in Japan and led to Canada.
The victory made the Dodgers the primary staff to win back-to-back titles in 25 years and with that championship, Roberts’ third, he handed Corridor of Famer Tommy Lasorda to change into the second-most-decorated Dodger supervisor ever. He now trails solely Walter Alston, one other Corridor of Famer, who received 4 World Sequence with the staff.
Roberts, nevertheless, received his three titles over six seasons, one thing no Dodger skipper has ever finished.
“It’s laborious to reconcile that one,” stated Roberts, whose jersey from Saturday’s sport is on its strategy to Cooperstown, becoming a member of the cap the Corridor of Fame requested after final 12 months’s World Sequence win.
“I’m simply actually elated and actually pleased with our staff, our guys, the best way we fought. We’ve finished one thing that hasn’t been finished in a long time. There was so many stress factors and the way that sport may have flipped, and we simply stored combating, and guys stepped up large.”
So did the supervisor.
Each transfer Roberts made labored, each button he pushed was the fitting one. Miguel Rojas, beginning for the second time in almost a month, saved the season with a game-tying dwelling run within the prime of the ninth whereas Andy Pages, inserted for defensive functions throughout the backside of the inning, ran down Ernie Clements’ drive on the wall with the bases loaded to finish the menace.
Within the 11th he had Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitch round Addison Barger, placing the profitable run on base. However that arrange the game-ending double play three pitches later.
“Credit score to him, man. Each single transfer he did this postseason was unbelievable,” stated Tyler Glasnow, certainly one of 4 beginning pitchers Roberts utilized in reduction Saturday. And he had a fifth, Clayton Kershaw, warming up when the sport ended.
Added Dodgers co-owner Magic Johnson: “He did some teaching tonight. This was a fantastic supervisor’s sport from him. He’s confirmed how nice a supervisor he’s. He’s a Corridor of Famer.”
Roberts requested Yamamoto, who pitched six innings Friday to win Recreation 6, to throw one other 2 2/3 innings in Recreation 7. It labored; Yamamoto received that sport too.
“What Yoshi did tonight is unprecedented in modern-day baseball,” stated Roberts, who got here into the postgame interview room carrying ski goggles and dripping of champagne. “It simply goes down to simply trusting your gamers. It’s good when you’ll be able to look down the roster and have 26 guys that you just consider in and know that sooner or later in time their quantity’s going to be referred to as.”
And Roberts wanted all 26 guys. Though the Dodgers gamers wore t-shirts with the slogan “We Rule October” once they mounted a makeshift stage within the middle of the Rogers Centre discipline to rejoice their victory early Sunday, October was solely a part of it. Their 12 months began in Tokyo in March and led to Toronto in November, making it the primary main league season to start and finish exterior the U.S.
“We actually prolonged the season,” Max Muncy, whose eighth-inning homer began the Dodgers’ comeback, stated with a smile after the staff’s 179th sport in 226 days.
“Look again on the miles that we’ve logged this 12 months,” Roberts stated. “We by no means wavered. It’s a protracted season and we persevered, and we’re the final staff standing.”
That, too, is a credit score to Roberts, who has made the playoffs in every of his 10 seasons and went to the World Sequence 5 occasions, trailing solely Alston amongst Dodger managers. His .621 regular-season profitable proportion is greatest in franchise historical past amongst managers who labored greater than three seasons. And he figures to maintain padding these data.
“We’ve put collectively one thing fairly particular,” stated Roberts, who celebrated together with his household on the sphere afterward. “I’m pleased with the gamers for the followers, scouting, participant growth, all of the stuff. To do what we’ve finished on this span of time is fairly exceptional.
“I suppose I’ll let the pundits and all of the followers speak about if it’s a dynasty or not. However I’m fairly pleased with the place we’re at.”
On Sunday morning Glasnow, who missed the playoffs final season with an elbow harm, was fairly pleased with the place he was at as properly.
“To be part of the World Sequence is loopy,” he stated, standing simply off the infield as blue and gold confetti rained down. “You dream about it as a child. To reside it out, I really feel so fortunate. This group of men, I’m so near everybody. So many good individuals on this staff. It’s simply the right group of men.”
The proper supervisor, too.
Highlights from the Dodgers’ 5-4 win in 11 innings over the Blue Jays in Recreation 7 of the World Sequence.
