The Latest: Dodgers start Gonsolin looking for 2-0 lead

The Los Angeles Dodgers have certainly settled into the new ballpark deep in the heart of Texas

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The Latest on Game 2 of the World Series (all times local):

7:04 p.m.

The Los Angeles Dodgers try to take a 2-0 World Series lead against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Forty-five of the 56 teams winning the first two games went on to the title, including 18 of the last 19. The exception was the 1996 Atlanta Braves, who won the first two game at Yankee Stadium, then lost four in a row.

Not wanting to use ace Walker Buehler after a seven-game NL Championship Series that had games on seven straight days, the Dodgers started reliever Tony Gonsolin, who threw 41 pitches over two innings in Sunday night’s 4-3 win over the Braves in Game 7.

Dustin May, who threw 18 pitches over one inning in Game 7, is a possibility to follow along with left-hander Julio Urías, who threw 39 pitches over three innings in Game 7.

Tampa Bay started 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, 2-2 with a 3.20 ERA in four postseason starts.

The Rays added two left-handed batters to their starting lineup, raising their total to five: Austin Meadows at the designated hitter leading off and first baseman Ji-Man Choi as the cleaup hitter.

Kiké Hernández started at second base for the Dodgers after entering the opening 8-3 win as a pinch-hitter. Chris Taylor shifted from second base to left field, Will Smith moved from DH to catcher in place of Austin Barnes and AJ Pollock was the DH.

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5:20 p.m.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have certainly settled into the new ballpark deep in the heart of Texas.

Game 2 of the World Series will be the Dodgers’ 15th game at the $1.2 billion Globe Life Field. That is already half as many as the 30 games the Texas Rangers have played in their new home, which opened during the pandemic-shortened season.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before Wednesday night’s game that all the experience there has made it feel more like a home field and is definitely an advantage.

Los Angeles, which had the best record in the majors during the regular season, has been in the home clubhouse and home dugout for more than two weeks. That run began with a three-game sweep of San Diego in the National League Division Series, then a seven-game National League Championship Series win over Atlanta before facing Tampa Bay in the World Series

The Dodgers were on the other side for a three-game series during the regular season in late August against the Rangers.

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4:07 p.m.

Austin Meadows is leading off as the designated hitter for Tampa Bay and first baseman Ji-Man Choi is in the cleanup spot for the Rays in Game 2 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

With rookie right-hander Tony Gonsolin on the mound for the Dodgers on Wednesday night, the left-handed hitters Meadows and Choi were in the lineup after not starting the series opener against lefty Clayton Kershaw. The Rays had five left-handers in the batting order.

Left-hander Blake Snell, the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner, is starting for the Rays after right-hander Tyler Glasnow opened Game 1.

Kiké Hernández, who entered Tuesday’s 8-3 Dodgers win as a pinch-hitter after Glasnow was out of the game, is getting the Game 2 start at second base. Chris Taylor moves to left field, with AJ Pollock the DH and Will Smith the catcher after being the DH in Game 1.

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