Walker Buehler leads Dodgers over Rays
ARLINGTON, Texas – Walker Buehler was dominant for Los Angeles. Just like Orel Hershiser during the Dodgers’ last title run.
Buehler struck out 10 in six innings in a pulsating performance, and Los Angeles beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 on Friday night for a 2-1 World Series lead.
Justin Turner homered in the first inning against a surprisingly hittable Charlie Morton, who was chased in the fifth.
Austin Barnes, the Dodgers’ No. 9 hitter, added a sixth-inning homer against John Curtiss and became just the second player to drive in runs with both a homer and a sacrifice bunt in the same Series game.
Los Angeles overwhelmed Tampa Bay in all phases, leaving the Rays’ scuffling offense with a .206 average and 11 runs in the Series.
Julio Urías, a hard-throwing Mexican left-hander in a Dodgers lineage dating to Fernando Valenzuela, starts Game 4 on Saturday night for the Dodgers, while the Rays string together several relievers that include Ryan Yarbrough.
Thirty-eight of 59 previ
come out and set the tempo,” Stallworth said.
The Shamrocks’ potent offense did just that.
Richard connected with senior wide receiver Jonah Leon on the very first play of the game for a 73-yard touchdown pass.
Leon’s been itching to redeem himself after a huge drop last week against Wickenburg.
“(The call) was rubber-west,” Leon said. “We actually had the same call last week and I dropped it. I’ve been thinking about (the drop) all week and been really frustrated. I just had to make up for it and have a big game. Mario was out and we all had to step up.”
YC scored on eight of the team’s 11 possessions (two turnovers and a kneel down to end it) and the Demons had zero answers for the offensive weapons YC head coach Rhett Stallworth threw on the field.
“Offensively, for the most part, they stepped up and did what we asked of them to do,” coach said. “And they executed...We kind of treated the offensive side of it as a time to work on some things. (Dysart) was playing well-off and doing everything they could to stop the pass and it was a challenge for us to work on some things and make sure we could do that to a better team when the time comes.”
Despite dropping seven to eight guys on defense to limit the air-raid attack, Stallworth lit up the Demons’ defense as he finished 32-of-40 for 559 yards, seven total touchdowns (5 passing and 2 rushing) and two interceptions.
Four of the five passing touchdowns from Stallworth went to different receivers.
His favorite pass catcher on Friday night, Leon, finished with seven catches for 175 yards and a score. Austin Rush had seven
catches for 77 yards and a score, while Zach Castaneda caught his only ball for a 12-yard touchdown reception.
However, it was the performance of running back Devon Black – despite being used sparingly in the run game – that captivated the win.
The junior entered Friday’s contest with 185 total yards through three games. In the 33-point victory, Black burst onto the scene as he tallied 199 total yards of offense (156 receiving and 43 rushing) and three touchdowns.
Whether it was receiving the ball on a shovel pass, a slant route or getting his number called in the run game, Black delivered.
“It was mostly the line,” Black said. “They allowed me to find my rhythm...I was waiting for a rushing touchdown after I had those two receiving scores. I was so happy I had the chance to show what I can do.”
Stallworth added, “Devon is an athlete and he’s going to do great things...If everyone around him is doing their job, Devon’s a gamer. He’ll get it done.”
The offense executed throughout the night, but the defense continues to
raise concerns for Stallworth despite the ‘Rocks allowing 9.75 points per game.
“I’m just very disappointed with our defense right now,” he said.
Dysart’s quarterback Ruben Falcon posed some challenges for the YC defense in the run game. The 5-foot-10 senior quickly left the pocket and used his legs to move the chains for the Demons’ offense.
“It’s hard to play against that,” Stallworth said of the more backyard offensive style Dysart ran. “It’s hard to play against teams like that to begin with. It creates chaos and secondly, we weren’t focusing on our techniques...We’re trying to drive forward and bull rush and you can’t do that. We paid the price and they scored some points.”
Leon, a two-way player, understands the importance of continuing to develop and knows his team must improve before playoffs roll around.
“We need to wrap up and we have to get a lot better at that,” he said. “The teams before the playoffs aren’t that good, so when we go to the playoffs we have to tackle well.”