Rookie Pitcher Tony Gonsolin To Start Game 2 For Dodgers
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – After taking Game 1 of the World Series behind a solid showing from its bullpen, the Dodgers confirmed rookie right-hander Tony Gonsolin is slated to start Game 2 Wednesday.
Clayton Kershaw, who has historically struggled in the postseason, pitched six solid innings in Game 1, allowing just two hits and striking out eight batters in the 8-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
In the process, the 32-year-old Kershaw surpassed John Smoltz for the second-most postseason strikeouts in MLB history, now with 201.
Gonsolin has appeared in two games so far this postseason, the most recent coming in Game 7 of the NLCS against the Braves Sunday. In two innings, he gave up two runs.
He also started Game 2 of that series, giving up three hits and five runs over four innings.
According to CBS Sports' R.J. Anderson, Gonsolin specializes on three pitches: a fastball, a splitter and a slider.
"The fastball is the only pitch he tends to throw in the zone," Anderson writes. "He's also a pitcher who, more or less, works to his glove side. Rays hitters would be wise to target that area while he's in the game."
He appeared in nine games during the regular season, starting eight of them, with a 2.31 ERA.
Meanwhile, the Rays will start left-hander Blake Snell, the 2018 Cy Young Award winner.
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