Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Minnesota Twins: 2020 World Series Simulation
By Bill Felber
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Minnesota Twins: Efficiency experts
Game 1 was an extended demonstration of the kind of offensive efficiency that made the Los Angeles Dodgers supremely dangerous. Pitching on his home field, Berrios allowed only seven base hits. But six of those hits were for extra bases, and Los Angeles Dodgers hitters used all six to produced runs.
The result was a 6-4 Dodger victory in the opener and a leg up in the World Series.
Corey Seager, the NLCS MVP, set the tone. With one out in the first, Seager homered into Target Field’s right-field seats. In the second, Joc Pederson copied Seager and made it 2-0.
The Minnesota Twins, who know something about home runs, having hit a record number during the simulated 2020 regular season, drew within a run in the third on Eddie Rosario’s home run.
But in the fourth, Dodger muscle again asserted itself. Bellinger opened the inning with a double into the gap in right-center, and Turner followed with a double down the line in left that scored Bellinger. One out later, Turner came home on Pederson’s fly to deep right.
Down by three runs, the Twins staged their best rally against Buehler in the bottom of the fourth. Nelson Cruz singled to center and Miguel Sano followed with a rocket to second that Enrique Hernandez could not handle. Two outs later Byron Buxton got them both home with a double into the right-field corner. At 4-3, the Twins were back within a run.
The Dodgers weren’t doing much with Berrios. The Bellinger and Turner doubles were two of only three hits he allowed between Pederson’s second-inning home run and the end of the seventh. And Chris Taylor, author of a fifth-inning single, was erased in a double play. Berrios fanned five and walked two.
But with two out in the eighth inning, the Dodgers opened up the heavy artillery again. Seager doubled over Buxton’s head in center and Bellinger sent his team’s third home run crashing into the right-field occupants, making the score 6-3.
Buehler retired after seven innings, having not allowed a hit since Sano sent that shin-burner off Hernandez’ leg in the fourth. Pedro Baez pitched an uneventful eighth, and Kenley Jansen came on to work the ninth. Twins catcher Mitch Garver did touch Jansen for a two-out home run, but when Buxton flew out to right Los Angeles had a 6-4 victory.
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Los Angeles 110 200 020 – 6 7 0
Minnesota 001 200 001 – 4 8 0
W. Buehler. L: Berrios. S: Jansen.