ARLINGTON, Texas – He has danced with 10 Octobers now, becoming as much a part of this month as homecoming, hayrides and Halloween. He’s been hallowed at times, and he’s been haunted too many other times.
What the most needed after Friday night’s debacle was an adult in the room to step up and take charge. No more nonsense. And from the first inning, when shook off Yandy Diaz’s leadoff single to induce a double play ground ball from Randy Arozarena, the man the Dodgers needed most to take control did.
After his snappy 5.2 innings in a 4-2 Dodgers Game 5 win that set them up to clinch this title over Tampa Bay as soon as Tuesday, Kershaw, as he often does, toted his three children into the interview room with him for the dissection of another night in one of the most well-decorated players in history.