Rays and Dodgers Advance to the World Series

The Tampa Bay Rays avoided being only the second team to lose a seven game post season series in major league history after taking a 3-0 lead, beating the defending American League champion Houston Astros 4-2 on October 17th in San Diego, to win their second American League Pennant in franchise history. Rays rookie outfielder Randy Arozarena, who hit .321 with four homers, including one in Game 7, and drove in six runs, became the first rookie position player to be named a League Championship Series MVP.

The National League Championship Series in Arlington, Texas, also went seven games, wrapping up on October 18th. The Los Angeles Dodgers trailed the Atlanta Braves 3-1 in that series, but roared back with three straight victories to win their 21st National League Pennant in the modern era in franchise history. The Dodgers trailed 3-2 in the sixth inning of Game 7, until Enrique Hernandez hit a pinch hit homer to tie it. Then in the bottom of the seventh, Cody Bellinger hit a solo shot to right field to give the Dodgers a 4-3 lead, a lead that held up the rest of the way. L.A.’s Corey Seager was the NLCS MVP, and with good reason. Seager hit .310, with five homers and 11 RBIs. The homer and RBI totals are a post season record.

In addition to this being the 21st pennant for the Dodgers, it’s also their third in four years. L.A. lost all three of those; their last World Series championship was in 1988, when the Dodgers beat the Oakland Athletics in five games. The Rays, whose history only dates back to 1998, lost their only previous World Series to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008 in five games. Both clubs had the best 2020 regular season record in their respective leagues.

The World Series begins October 20th, with all games played in Arlington, Texas.