The Los Angeles Dodgers punched their ticket to the World Series after coming from behind to defeat the Atlanta Braves, 4-3, in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series at Globe Life Field.
With the score knotted at 3-3 in the seventh inning, Cody Bellinger provided the decisive blow, sending a 2-2 pitch from Chris Martin into the right-field seats for a solo home run.
After crossing home plate, an ecstatic Bellinger bumped arms with AJ Pollock and Kiké Hernandez. He was also greeted by some of his other Dodgers teammates with high fives upon entering the dugout.
During an appearance on MLB Network, Bellinger revealed that his home run celebration came at a cost, as he dislocated his right shoulder and had it worked on in the training room:
“Yeah, I’m good. I’m good. I hit Kiké’s shoulder a little too hard and my shoulder popped out, so I had to go back in the training room. They popped it back in and I was ready to play some defense. It kind of hurt. … I’m going to maybe use my left arm; I’ve never dislocated that one.”
Despite dislocating his right shoulder, Bellinger was able to remain in the game and trotted back out to center field for the top of the eighth. Fittingly, he caught the final out of the game on a routine fly ball to center field.
Bellinger suffered the same injury last season after diving for a ball at first base. It prompted the Dodgers to move him to right field for the remainder of the year as a preventative measure.
Rays vs. Dodgers World Series schedule
Propelled by Bellinger’s blast, the Dodgers are now headed back to the World Series for the third time in the last four seasons. They face the Tampa Bay Rays in what will be a battle between the top two teams, record-wise, in all of baseball.
Below is the complete 2020 World Series schedule with the dates, start times and TV information.
Game 1: Tuesday, Oct. 20, 5 p.m. PT, Fox
Game 2: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 5 p.m., Fox
Game 3: Friday, Oct. 23, 5 p.m., Fox
Game 4: Saturday, Oct. 24, 5 p.m., Fox
Game 5*: Sunday, Oct. 25, 5 p.m., Fox
Game 6*: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 5 p.m., Fox
Game 7*: Wednesday, Oct. 28, 5 p.m., Fox
*if necessary
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