Tyler Glasnow needed to put together an elite performance on Sunday, yet the right-hander was pulled after four runs and five innings. And while the Tampa Bay Rays put together good at-bats against Clayton Kershaw, they couldn’t catch up to the Dodgers, who took a first-inning lead and never looked back. When all was said and done, Kershaw and the ‘pen led the Dodgers to a 4-2 win over Tampa Bay in the fifth game of the 2020 World Series.

One shouldn’t question Glasnow’s stuff. Put simply, his fastball and curveball are elite. However, what could be questioned is his pitch selection and his perceived hesitation to lean on a third pitch, which he has been working on the last few offseasons. Those two things turned a decent outing into a frustrating one for Tampa Bay.

Mookie Betts kickstarted a first-inning rally with a double to left two batters into the game. Corey Seager followed by ripping an RBI single to right on a cement mixer left over the heart of the plate. It was the third straight game where Los Angeles took a first-inning lead.

Then in the second inning, Joc Pederson fell behind 1-2 before he drilled a 98.5 mph fastball for a 3-0 lead. Instead of trying to get Pederson to expand by throwing a curveball off the plate, Glasnow tried to overpower the outfielder on a high fastball. Unfortunately, the pitch wasn’t above the zone, and Pederson didn’t miss it.

Glasnow was able to bounce back and retire eight consecutive batters, while Tampa Bay got on the board against Kershaw in the third.

Kevin Kiermaier beat out a chopper to the first base side of the mound for an infield hit, before Yandy Diaz hit a one-out triple to right, eluding Betts to draw the Rays within two. Randy Arozarena followed with an RBI single to left to get the Rays within a run. It was Arozarena’s 27th postseason hit, setting a new Major League record.

Even though they had multiple opportunities to exact more damage — the Rays got the leadoff runner aboard in six of the nine innings — they ultimately went 1-7 wRISP and they, as Dave Wills would say, left a lot of chicken on the bone.

Glasnow retired the first two batters in the top half of the third inning, yet Muncy drilled a two-strike, center/center fastball to right-center, capping the scoring. It was the ninth home run allowed by Glasnow, a postseason record.

Tampa Bay had a chance to take the lead in the fourth inning. Manuel Margot walked, swiped second, and went to third when the responding throw went off Chris Taylor’s glove for an error. Then, after falling behind 0-2, Hunter Renfroe worked a free pass to put runners at the corners with no outs. However, Joey Wendle popped out to short and Willy Adames struck out. Margot tried to spark some offense with Kiermaier at the plate — he attempted to steal home and was thrown out by a hair. The play did not work, yet let’s be honest: given that Kiermaier has slashed .224 BA/.255 OBP/.490 SLG/.745 OPS with a 29% strikeout rate during the offseason, the odds were stacked against him to come up in the clutch. Margot tried to do what he instinctively thought Kiermaier couldn’t or wouldn’t — plate an important run and rattle Kershaw.

Escaping the jam enabled Kershaw to begin a stretch where he retired seven consecutive batters on just 21 pitches. For whatever reason, the left-hander was lifted in the sixth inning much to the chagrin of the Dodgers fans in attendance who booed Dave Roberts’ decision. Roberts called upon Dustin May.

Even though Tampa Bay tagged May in his previous outing, the Carrot Top-like hurler made quick work the next four batters. May did get into trouble after Kiermaier singled to left to open the eighth, yet pinch-hitter Yoshi Tsutsugo flew out to left. Kevin Cash called upon Ji-Man Choi to pinch hit for Yandy Diaz, but Roberts called on southpaw Victor Gonzalez. In so doing, Mike Brosseau hit for Choi instead. Kiermaier moved into second on a wild pitch while Brosseau reached on a free pass in a nine-pitch at-bat, bringing Arozarena to the plate. Yet RAAAAAAAANDY flew out to center, as did Brandon Lowe on the first pitch of his at-bat.

Meanwhile, Aaron Loup got two outs while Diego Castillo collected four before Ryan Sherriff hurled a perfect eighth inning, allowing Tampa Bay to hang around. Ryan Thompson worked around a walk in a scoreless ninth.

Finally, Blake Treinen got the save opportunity in the bottom of the ninth — his third consecutive day of work. Margot singled to start the frame, however, Austin Meadows went down swinging, Wendle flew out to center, and Adames struck out to end the game.

After a previously scheduled off-day, Blake Snell will get the start in game six on Tuesday. It marks the third elimination game for Tampa Bay this postseason. The Rays have won the other two.

It was a tale of two Blakes on Wednesday, as Snell held the Dodgers hitless through 4-2/3 innings, yet gave up a pair of runs two outs into the fifth. Whatever the case, the Tampa Bay Rays did just enough to defeat Los Angeles, 6-4, and tie the series up at one game apiece.

Blake Snell got the start on Wednesday and looked great through the first 4-2/3 innings, holding the Dodgers hitless while striking out nine and walking two — including a perfect 10-pitch first inning. At one point he retired 10 straight batters, six via the strikeout. Yet, the left-hander’s demeanor changed after he walked Kiké Hernández on five pitches two outs in the fifth. Then four pitches later, Snell grooved a 77 mph over the inner third of the plate to Chris Taylor, who inside outed the ball and sent it to right-field for a two-run homer. Six pitches later his night was done after he walked Mookie Betts. Snell looked great until he didn’t, throwing 88 pitches (49 strikes, 56% strike rate) while coaxing 14 swinging strikes (27% SwStr%).

Meanwhile, the Rays got on the board in the first inning against Tony Gonsolin, and it was all thanks to Brandon Lowe.

Lowe entered the game 6-56 (.107 BA) in the postseason with a pair of homers, although he had hit safely in three of his last four games. At any rate, Lowe worked a 3-1 count, then drilled a fastball to left-center for his first homer in the World Series, opening the scoring. It stayed that way until the fourth inning.

With Victor Gonzalez on the bump, Randy Arozarena walked with one out before Ji-Man Choi grounded into the shift. Yet Hernández bobbled the play and could only get the out at second. Dustin May came on in relief, and Manuel Margot ground a single the right side against the shift.

Joey Wendle did what he is wont to do: line a hard hit ball to the right-center gap for a two-run double, extending the lead to three runs.

Then an inning later, Austin Meadows singled to right off May before Lowe hit his second homer of the night, a line-drive shot off the top off the wall for a 5-0 lead.

Tampa Bay tacked on an insurance run in the sixth inning after Choi and Margot singled to put runners at the corners. Wendle came up with his third RBI of the night when he hit a line drive sacrifice fly to left field.

Yet the Dodgers answered in the bottom of the frame when Will Smith homered off Nick Anderson, who got the final out of the fifth in relief of Snell, cutting Tampa Bay’s lead to three runs.

Pete Fairbanks followed Anderson with an incredibly efficient six-pitch seventh. But, he also gave up a run an inning later when Corey Seager homered to center. Things also appeared like they could unravel at any moment with Justin Turner at the plate. Turner looped a double into right-center that Kevin Kiermaier and Manuel Margot came together on. Kiermaier looked like he could have made a sliding catch, yet the ball fell into play and rolled toward the wall. Still, after Max Muncy flied out to right, Smith hit a laser to third that Wendle caught on a line. Wendle is a pro at that by now!

Aaron Loup entered in relief of Fairbanks to face Cody Bellinger with two outs and caught the left-handed-hitting looking at a 95 mph fastball over the plate.

Finally, Loup retired the first two batters in the ninth before Diego Castillo took over to face the right-handed-hitting Taylor, who went down swinging on a check-swing strikeout to end the ball game. Rays pitchers punched out 15 Dodgers hitters.

After an off-day on Thursday, Charlie Morton will pitch opposite of Walker Buehler in the third game of the 2020 World Series.