Fall Classic Begins with Dodgers Rout of Rays

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers are three wins away from their first World Series title in 32 years.

Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts homered to support Clayton Kershaw as the Dodgers whipped the Tampa Bay Rays, 8-3 at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.

The Dodgers went ahead, 2-0 on Bellinger’s two-run homer in the fourth before tacking on four more runs in the fifth. Bellinger was fit to play after suffering a right shoulder injury while celebrating his tiebreaking home run in Game 7 of the NLCS two nights earlier.

Bellinger went deep off Tyler Glasnow, who struggled with his command. Glasnow was reached for six runs on three hits and six walks in 4 1/3 innings.

Kevin Kiermaier’s solo blast in the fifth pushed Tampa Bay within a run before Betts scored on a fielder’s choice in the bottom half to restore L.A.‘s two-run lead. Will Smith, Chris Taylor and Kike Hernandez followed with RBI singles.

Betts led off the bottom of the sixth with a blast to widen the gap. Justin Turner and Max Muncy added consecutive doubles to give Los Angeles an 8-1 lead.

Kershaw limited the Rays to two hits and a walk while striking out eight over six innings. Kershaw is 3-1 this postseason.