Game 1 Highlights of the World Series
In the first game of the World Series, Ernie Clement’s play effectively squashed a potential rally for the Blue Jays.
On Friday evening, with two outs in the second inning, Toronto’s designated hitter, George Springer, hit a grounder toward the infield. Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman made an attempt to throw to second base, but instead, the ball ended up in pitcher Blake Snell’s hands, who initially covered the bag, allowing Springer to reach safely.
As Clement, running from first to second, tried to advance to third without Snell noticing, he was ultimately tagged out, concluding the inning.
It was quite a chaotic scene. “The ball is being thrown all over the diamond,” commented play-by-play announcer Joe Davis during the Fox broadcast. “Freeman first aimed for second, then back to first, and the ball came back across the diamond. For a brief moment, it felt like a high-level Little League game,” he added.
Interestingly, during the play, it seemed as though Clement hesitated after hitting second base before making a second bid for third.
The Dodgers scored first; in the second inning, Enrique Hernandez drove in a run with a single that allowed Teoscar Hernandez to cross home plate.
Later, in the third inning, Los Angeles extended their lead. Catcher Will Smith hit a single to right field, bringing Mookie Betts home from second base.
However, the Blue Jays responded in the fourth inning with a two-run home run from center fielder Dalton Varsho, leveling the score.
Toronto received a major boost heading into the World Series when their star middle infielder, Bo Bichette, made his return from injury during Game 1.
Bichette, who is 27, played second base—an unfamiliar position for him since he joined the league in 2019.
“I believe every part of this is a challenge, but even if I hadn’t been injured, it would still be tough,” Bichette shared with reporters. “The World Series is a different animal. Thankfully, I have spent considerable time at second base throughout my life, so I’m no stranger to it. I feel prepared to contribute there,” he remarked.
