Betts go clutch as Dodgers win

Los Angeles, CA (News4usonline) – Juneteenth turned out to be a pretty special day for Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts and his family. Betts’ son, Kaj Betts, was given the honor of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. 

His family was then given the privilege of giving the usual pregame shoutout made famous by the late Vin Scully, “It’s time for Dodger baseball!” 

Pretty cool stuff. But that’s not the end of the story. Due to his heroics in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Dodgers saluted Betts with his own Mookie Betts “Game 7 Double Play” bobblehead presented by Spectrum. 

Betts then had to go and play some baseball as the Dodgers took on the first of a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles. That turned out to be fun for both Betts and the Dodgers. And maybe a little stressful. 

Dalton Rushing may have put the finishing touches on the Dodgers’ come-from-behind 6-5 win against the Orioles with his two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs, but this was clearly a night the Betts owned. 

Like every great superstar in every sport, Betts has this incredible impeccable timing for the big moment. More often than not, Betts answers the bell.  Before we can dive into the Rushing theatrics, the game’s finale was indirectly set up by the play, rather the bat of Betts.  

With starting pitcher Roki Sasaki pitching strong for five and two-thirds innings, the Dodgers appeared to be in cruise control on their way to their next victory. In the first inning, the Dodgers scored twice to take a 2-0 lead. 

Betts’ double in the inning helped stake Los Angeles to the early advantage.By the time the game reached the top of the sixth inning, the Dodgers were in a comfortable 3-0 position. Or they thought. 

With back-to-back home runs off of Sasaki, the game was knotted at 3-3 just like that. That early momentum the Dodgers had, was wiped away by the home runs of Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso. 

Scoring two more runs in the top of the seventh inning, Baltimore would take that lead into the ninth, where all the dramatics started to take place. The Dodgers would not be two-time world champions if they could not display resilience. 

That resilience came into play again. That starts with Betts. Betts hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to cut Baltimore’s lead to 5-4. Bets’ home run helped the Dodgers get back some of their thunder. With one swing, Betts changed the trajectory of the game. 

The energy of the Dodger Stadium crowd became electric. That electricity became even more excitable when Rushing lined a single to right field with the Dodgers down to their last out. 

With runners on base, Rushing delivered his biggest moment of his career with the walk-off hit. That moment would not have come into fruition had it not been for the home run that Betts hit earlier in the inning. Everyone can see that.