World Series Game 6 open thread

World Series: Tampa Bay Rays at Los Angeles Dodgers, Game 6 (Dodgers lead, 3-2)

8:08 PM, FOX

The Dodgers have won a lot the last few years. But they haven’t gotten the biggest win of all.

They’ve won eight straight NL West titles, averaged over 95 wins per season the first seven, then took the division again this season with 43 wins in 60 games, a 116-win clip in a normal season. But for all that success, a fourth win in the World Series has eluded them.

They have a chance for that tonight. The Dodgers are closer than they’ve ever been to that coveted championship during this recent run, up 3-2 with two cracks at finishing off a Tampa Bay Rays team that, both in their playoff rounds and in individual games, refuses to go away.

Los Angeles got to this point by withstanding a true gut punch, as the Dodgers were only one strike away from a commanding 3-1 series lead in Game 4 when Kenley Jansen surrendered a hit to Brett Phillips and a sequence of miscues allowed both the tying and winning runs to score. But Clayton Kershaw helped lead the Dodgers to a 4-2 rebound victory in Game 5, putting L.A. on the championship doorstep.

The Dodgers have two chances to secure this victory, but of course, they’ll hope to do it tonight and spare themselves the drama. Tony Gonsolin gets the ball for L.A. tonight, making his second start of the World Series. His first start came in Game 2, and he lasted 1.1 innings while allowing one hit, a home run to Brandon Lowe.

The other reason the Dodgers want to get it over with tonight is because their opponent has shown that they’re a bad team to supply with extra chances. The Rays, who won at a 108-win pace in their own right, have answered every Dodger punch this series, bouncing back with victories in Game 2 and 4, the latter of which saw them erase leads of 4-2, 6-5 and 7-6.

The Rays’ leader has been Randy Arozarena, who’s batting .329 for the postseason and .333 for the series, with nine playoff home runs. He went 3-for-4 with a home run in the Game 4 victory, and has a good shot at being named MVP should Tampa Bay rally again. The Rays have also gotten good performances at the plate from Kevin Kiermaier (.375, two home runs), Manuel Margot (.400) and Yandy Diaz (.364) to stay very much alive in this Series.

The Rays will go with their ace tonight in Blake Snell, who started Game 2 and lasted 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on two hits while striking out nine but walking four. Dialing in that command will be key to getting Tampa Bay’s trademark resiliency off to the right start.

Rays lineup

1. Ji-Man Choi 1B

2. Randy Arozarena LF

3. Austin Meadows DH

4. Brandon Lowe 2B

5. Manuel Margot RF

6. Joey Wendle 3B

7. Willy Adames SS

8. Kevin Kiermaier CF

9. Mike Zunino C

LHP Blake Snell

Dodgers lineup

1. Mookie Betts RF

2. Corey Seager SS

3. Justin Turner 3B

4. Max Muncy 1B

5. Will Smith DH

6. Cody Bellinger CF

7. Chris Taylor 2B

8. A.J. Pollock LF

9. Austin Barnes C

RHP Tony Gonsolin