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Tony Gutierrez

ARLINGTON, Tex. — By this point in the strange and surreal 2020 MLB postseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers could give a credible guided tour of Globe Life Field, so intimately do they know its nooks, crannies, amenities and tendencies. You could even put them in their road grays, as they wore for Game 3 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night, and they will feel completely at home in a building that is starting to feel more like Dodger Stadium East.

In these odd days of neutral-site playoffs and quarantine bubbles, the Dodgers played their 13th game in 17 days in this spanking-new ballpark in the suburbs of Dallas, and like eight of the previous 12, this one ended in a victory. In a thorough and unexpectedly easy 6-2 win, they ambushed Rays starter Charlie Morton, collected home runs from Justin Turner and Austin Barnes and rode young ace Walker Buehler for six dazzling innings.

The Dodgers lead the best-of-seven series, two games to one, with Game 4 on Saturday night.

Through three games, the overarching characteristic of this World Series has been its utter lack of drama: All three games have seen one team open up a five-run lead by the fifth inning, and there have been no lead changes. Only once, in the eighth inning of Game 2, has the trailing team brought the potential tying run to the plate after the sixth.

Svrluga: This World Series offers financial lessons gleaned from both the Dodgers and Rays

The Texas Rangers moved into this building — price tag: $1.2 billion — at the start of this season and played 30 games here, hitting a total of 27 homers in those games. The stadium quickly gained a reputation as a place where homers go to die.

The Dodgers, though, have exploded that notion. They have played 16 games at Globe Life Field, including three in the regular season, and have hit 29 homers — two more than the Rangers hit here all season. On Friday night, Turner took Morton over the wall in left in the first — matching the number of earned runs Morton had allowed across his first three starts of this postseason — and Barnes went yard against right-hander John Curtiss in the sixth.

Friday’s plot twist came hours before first pitch, when MLB made the decision to close the retractable roof at Globe Life Field, owing to a forecast of low-50s temperatures and a chance of rain later in the night. Official attendance at the first indoor game with fans during this MLB season: 11,447.

Tom Pennington

The Rays had never set foot in Globe Life Field before Monday’s pre-series workout, and nobody was fooled by them wearing their home whites and getting the benefit of having their own, familiar walk-up songs and the more enthusiastic introductions by the public address announcer. The crowd was overwhelmingly on the side of the visitors.

Svrluga: A World Series of the weird offers a window into the fraught moment that has brought us here

With the roof closed, the expectation was that the stadium would play bigger, with the Rays’ in-house analysts estimating it would cost flyballs an extra 10 to 15 feet of carry. Los Angeles’s Will Smith and Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena both hit towering drives to the warning track in straightaway center that might have left the yard had the roof remained open.

And so the Dodgers, who led the majors this season in home runs and slugging percentage, turned back the clock. Their two-run fourth inning was straight out of the small-ball aesthetic of the 1980s — three singles, a stolen base and a safety squeeze: The sacrifice bunt was laid down expertly by Barnes, who had two of the Dodgers’ three sacrifices in the regular season and — in the latest sign of how profoundly the game has changed in recent years — was the first executed by a National League team in these playoffs.

“That’s something we’ve done before. I had a feeling it was coming,” Barnes said. “And I just had to execute. The runners did a good job of selling it, and when you really sell it, it’s a tough play to defend.”

Ronald Martinez

The Dodgers started Barnes at catcher Friday night instead of Smith, who served as designated hitter, largely for his pitch-framing skills — the dark art of turning borderline balls into borderline strikes with a subtle shift of the mitt to fool the home plate umpire’s eyes. As a hitter, well, Barnes is an elite pitch-framer.

The matchup of the World Series? The Rays’ wonder of a bullpen vs. the Dodgers’ patient hitters.

Buehler, meanwhile, carried a no-hitter into the fifth, struck out 10 batters across his six innings — the most strikeouts in a World Series start that short — and looked as if he could throw 98 mph bullets all night if the Dodgers needed him to. But with a safe lead, they pulled him after 93 pitches — in case they might need him again in a decisive Game 7. And in doing so, the seven-inning start faded deeper into the recesses of history: Only two starters have completed seven innings since the start of the division series, with none in this series.

Buehler’s fastball touched 99 mph. Occasionally, he would stand on the mound and tilt his head from one side to the other, as if pondering an especially deep thought or stretching his neck muscles, then throw his body toward the plate with such force, his follow-through landed with a small bunny-hop. His career ERA in 11 postseason starts: 2.35.

“He was unbelievable,” Barnes said. “That might be the best I’ve ever seen his stuff.”

David J. Phillip

The Dodgers’ pounding of Morton gave them a measure of sweet revenge: When they last saw him on this stage, he was shutting them down <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/astros-thrash-dodgers-5-1-in-game-7-to-claim-franchises-first-world-series-title/2017/11/02/b5f3878e-bf33-11e7-959c-fe2b598d8c00_story.html?itid=lk_inline_manual_29" target=_blank>for the final four innings of Game 7 of the World Series</a> for the Houston Astros, whose title was later tainted by the revelations of a sign-stealing scheme.

The Dodgers scored four of their runs off Morton on Friday night with two outs — continuing a remarkable trend: A staggering 50 of the Dodgers’ 87 runs in this postseason have come with two outs, a record.

“It’s just not giving up. There’s two outs, but you can still build an inning, not giving away at-bats,” right fielder Mookie Betts said of the Dodgers’ success with two outs. “That’s the recipe. That’s how you win a World Series.”

It’s clear why the Dodgers love Mookie Betts. It’s a mystery why he was traded.

Betts, the former American League MVP <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/02/04/mookie-betts-traded-to-dodgers/?itid=lk_inline_manual_35" target=_blank>acquired in a blockbuster trade from Boston in February</a>, is the most obvious answer to the question of what is different about the Dodgers’ offense this year. But another, less obvious reason is their ability to deliver big hits with runners in scoring position. It has been a glaring failure for the Dodgers in past postseason flameouts: They hit .226 with RISP in 2017, .192 in 2018 and .135 in 2019. They lost in the World Series in 2017 and 2018 and in the division series last fall.

This postseason, however, they are hitting .279 with an .879 on-base-plus-slugging percentage with runners in scoring position — numbers that exceed their overall production. Dodgers hitters are noticeably altering their approaches and shortening their swings to drive home those runs — as Max Muncy did on a full-count, two-run single to right-center in the third.

“It’s not always about driving the ball,” Betts said. “We’ve proven we can do that, and we’ve proven we can take our singles too. There’s a time and place to do both.”

With lefty Julio Urías set to start Game 4 on Saturday night — with the Rays looking at a bullpen game started by Ryan Yarbrough — and veteran lefty Clayton Kershaw slated for Game 5 on Sunday night, the Dodgers could have their first World Series title since 1988 wrapped up by the end of the weekend.

At the other extreme, should the series go to the distance, the Dodgers still would have on the mound the one pitcher they would handpick if given the choice of anyone on their roster, if not in the entire sport: Walker Buehler. They would also be the home team, naturally.

<i>Dave Sheinin reported this story from Arlington, Tex. The live updates below were reported by Scott Allen from Washington.</i>

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Despite giving up a solo home run, Kenley Jansen closed the door on the Rays and gave the Dodgers a 2-1 series lead.

Jansen struck out Austin Meadows on three pitches before getting Brandon Lowe to fly out to right for the first two outs of the frame. Randy Arozarena followed with a line drive homer to left field to cut the Dodgers’ lead to 6-2. It was <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/10/20/randy-arozarena-tampa-bay-rays-world-series/?itid=lk_inline_manual_50" target=_blank>the rookie sensation’s</a> eighth home run of the playoffs, tying him with Barry Bonds (2002), Carlos Beltran (2004) and Nelson Cruz (2011) for the most in a single postseason. Arozarena also broke Derek Jeter’s record for most hits by a rookie in the playoffs with 23. Ji-Man Choi lined out to left field to end the game.

Scott Allen

Brusdar Graterol worked a perfect eighth for the Dodgers. It took him all of seven pitches for the hard-throwing right-hander to retire Willy Adames, Kevin Kiermaier and pinch-hitter Yoshi Tsutsugo and send Game 3 to the ninth with the Dodgers still leading 6-1.

Ryan Sherriff replaced John Curtiss on the mound for the Rays to start the seventh and worked around a one-out walk to keep it a five-run game.

Blake Treinen relieved Walker Buehler in the bottom of the inning and retired Ji-Man Choi, Manuel Margot and Joey Wendle in order. The Rays are down to their final six outs in Game 3.

Walker Buehler allowed his third hit of the game in the sixth, but he also struck out the side, bringing his total to 10. He’s at 93 pitches, so his night could be done, but with the Dodgers leading 6-1, he’s in excellent position to pick up his second win of these playoffs.

The Dodgers got the run they gave up in the fifth back in the sixth on a two-out solo home run by Austin Barnes. Yes, the same Austin Barnes who drove in a run in the fourth inning with a sacrifice bunt. Mookie Betts followed with a single and his fourth stolen base of the series before Corey Seager walked. Justin Turner flied out to center to end the frame.

Before the inning, players emerged from their dugouts and fans in the crowd stood for the annual “Stand Up to Cancer” moment.

World Series Dodgers Rays Baseball

With one out in the fifth inning, Manuel Margot ripped a double down the left field line for the Rays’ first hit of the night against Walker Buehler. After Buehler struck out Joey Wendle for the second out of the inning, Willy Adames hit another double on an 0-2 pitch into the left field corner to score Margot and cut the Dodgers’ lead to 5-1. Buehler avoided further trouble by getting Kevin Kiermaier to ground out to first base.

After striking out Justin Turner to lead off the top of the fifth, Rays starter Charlie Morton walked Max Muncy and was relieved by John Curtiss. Morton exited after 91 pitches with his team trailing 5-0. Curtiss retired Will Smith and Cody Bellinger to keep it that way.

What’s at stake in Game 3? Of the previous 59 instances that the World Series was tied 1-1, the Game 3 winner went on to win the title 38 times (64.4 percent).

Austin Meadows and Randy Arozarena sandwiched a couple of well-hit balls to center field around a strikeout by Brandon Lowe in the fourth inning, but the Rays are still looking for their first hit against Walker Buehler.

The Dodgers added to their lead in the fourth with some small ball. Cody Bellinger led off with a single and advanced to third on a one-out single by Joc Pederson. No. 9 hitter Austin Barnes then executed a safety squeeze bunt to score Bellinger. Mookie Betts followed with a two-out single up the middle to score Pederson and give Los Angeles a 5-0 lead.

A one-out walk by Kevin Kiermaier in the third inning gave the Rays their first baserunner of the game against Walker Buehler. Third baseman Justin Turner got the Dodgers out of the inning by making an excellent play on a hot shot by the next batter, Mike Zunino, and starting a 5-4-3 double play. Buehler is at 38 pitches.

With two outs and nobody on in the top of the third, Rays starter Charlie Morton ran into trouble. He hit Corey Seager in the foot before allowing a double to left by Justin Turner, who homered in the first, and then gave up a two-run single to Max Muncy on a 3-2 slider that caught too much of the plate.

The Dodgers’ 48 runs with two outs in these playoffs are the most by any team in a single postseason. (This is the first year with a 16-team playoff field and a best-of-three first round, but the point stands: the Dodgers have been clutch.)

After throwing 22 pitches and allowing a solo home run and infield single in the first inning, Charlie Morton retired the Dodgers in order on eight pitches in the second. Walker Buehler followed with his second consecutive perfect inning.

The Dodgers right-hander struck out Ji-Man Choi looking to start the inning before striking out Manuel Margot swinging on three straight fastballs and getting Joey Wendle to fly out to left.

Staked to a 1-0 lead, Dodgers starter Walker Buehler worked a 1-2-3 first inning on only 11 pitches. Buehler struck out Brandon Lowe, who homered twice in Game 2, and Randy Arozarena to end the frame.

Justin Turner gave the Dodgers the early lead with a two-out solo home run in the first inning off Charlie Morton, who had allowed one earned run in his three postseason starts this year combined.

Turner’s homer overshadowed a nice pick at first base by Tampa Bay’s Ji-Man Choi, who did the splits to come up with shortstop Willy Adames’s one-hopped throw to retire Mookie Betts for the first out of the game.

With temperatures expected to dip into the 40s and a slight possibility of rain, the retractable roof at Globe Life Field will be closed for Game 3 after being open for Games 1 and 2. MLB said it <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2020/10/23/roof-closed-for-world-series-game-3-between-dodgers-rays/114471014/" target=_blank>consulted with medical advisers</a> before making the decision and that the closed roof will “provide the best competitive environment for players and the most comfort for fans without jeopardizing their safety in any way.” 

MLB is allowing 11,500 fans to attend each World Series game. Fans are required to wear masks except when eating or drinking, though enforcement of that rule, judging by the crowd shots on the TV broadcast, has been lax.

After using seven pitchers, none of whom recorded more than six outs, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/10/21/dodgers-rays-world-series-game-2/?itid=ap_davesheinin&itid=lk_inline_manual_95" target=_blank>as part of Manager Dave Roberts’ pitcher-by-committee approach to Game 2</a>, the Dodgers will look for right-hander Walker Buehler to eat up as many inning as possible in Game 3. The 26-year-old was masterful in his last outing, scattering seven hits over six scoreless innings while striking out six in a win over the Atlanta Braves <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/10/17/dodgers-braves-nlcs-game-6/?itid=lk_inline_manual_95" target=_blank>in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series</a>.

The Rays will counter with right-hander Charlie Morton, who didn’t allow a run in two starts totaling 10 ⅔ innings in the American League Championship Series. Morton has struck out 17 and walked only four batters this postseason. His control could be key against a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/10/23/dodgers-hitters-rays-bullpen-world-series/?itid=lk_inline_manual_96" target=_blank>patient Dodgers lineup</a> that managed 10 walks against Rays starters Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell in <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/10/20/dodgers-rays-world-series-game-1-live-updates/?itid=lk_inline_manual_96" target=_blank>Games 1</a> and 2.

Tampa Bay’s bats woke up in Game 2 behind two home runs from Brandon Lowe, though the Rays were only 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Los Angeles was 0-for-6 after going 5-for-14 in Game 1.

Dan Jenkins Medal for Excellence in Sportswriting, 2019

National Headliner Award, first place for sports writing, 2011

Twice featured in Best American Sports Writing anthology

10-time award winner for sports writing from Associated Press Sports Editors

Finalist for News Emmy in New Approaches: Documentary, 2015

RG3: The Promise

Vanderbilt University, BA

Dave Sheinin has been writing for The Washington Post since 1999. In 2019, he was awarded the Dan Jenkins Medal for Excellence in Sportswriting.

Dave Sheinin

Stanford University, BA in Psychology

Scott Allen has written about the Capitals, Nationals, Washington Football Team, Wizards and more for The Washington Post's D.C. Sports Bog since 2014.

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Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler delivers a gem in World Series Game 3 win over Rays

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With a gem from Walker Buehler, Dodgers roll to a win over Rays in Game 3 of the World Series

Live coverage contributors

Major League Baseball playoffs: What to read

The World Series is set. Here’s what you need to know.