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Jesse RogersESPN Staff Writer
ARLINGTON, Texas — Somehow, someway, the Tampa Bay Rays survived an all-time classic World Series game with a dramatic — yet sloppy — finish to a wild 8-7 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Randy Arozarena was dead to rights trying to score the winning run from first base in the bottom of the ninth inning on the hit by Brett Phillips off Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen which tied the game with two outs, 7-7. Arozarena fell down on his way home from third but Dodgers catcher Will Smith couldn’t corral the relay and Arozarena was able to touch home to end the game and tie the series, 2-2.
The Dodgers looked like they had the game in the bag after taking the lead in the eighth inning but Jansen gave up two hits and a walk, including the hit by Phillips who was 0-for-5 in the postseason before the single to right on a 1-2 pitch. The Rays showed more fight at the plate and a player who had just 20 at-bats for them in the regular season came through as the hero. And now the series is down to a best-of-three.