Mookie Betts Breaks Slump, Comes Up Huge For Dodgers In Third Inning Of Game 6
The weight of the world has been lifted off of Mookie Betts’s shoulders, or at least it feels like it for the Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop. Betts broke a 3-for-24 slump in the World Series in third inning of Game 6, smacking a two-RBI double off of Kevin Gausman to give LA an important 3-0 cushion.
After fanning in the first inning, Betts stepped to the plate in the third inning with the bases loaded. It was the perfect opportunity for Betts to break out of his awful slump, and he did exactly that, roping a laser on the ground in between the shortstop and third baseman into left field for a base knock, scoring Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith, who had reached on a double and an intentional walk, respectively.
With a 1-2 count, Betts swung at a fastball up in the zone and changed the dynamic of the game for the Dodgers. Before the next half-inning. Betts could be seen visibly smiling with relief as he took grounders at short before the Blue Jays came up to bat.
George Springer cut into LA’s lead in the bottom half of the third with an RBI single.
Betts’s massive hit has implications for the rest of the series, which might only be six innings if the Blue Jays pull off a victory. The longer the series goes, though, Betts breaking out of his slump means the Dodgers suddenly have another of their stars swinging with a free mind, which is bad news for Toronto.
Dave Roberts said during an on-air interview in the fourth inning that he liked the way Betts looked in batting practice in between Game 5 and Game 6. Roberts moved Betts into the cleanup spot for Game 6, and it almost immediately paid off.