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Ernie Clement killed a potential rally for the Blue Jays in Game 1 of the World Series.
With two outs in the second inning on Friday night, Toronto designated hitter George Springer tapped a ground ball on the infield and was able to reach base safely as Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman attempted a throw at second before tossing the ball to pitcher Blake Snell, who was covering the bag at first.
Clement, who was running from first to second, tried to take third base when Snell was not looking, but was ultimately thrown out to end the inning.
“The ball’s getting tossed all over the diamond,” play-by-play commentator Joe Davis said on the Fox broadcast. “First, Freeman looks to second, then he goes to first, then (the ball) goes back across the diamond. For a second there, looking like a high-level Little League game.”
During the play, it appeared that Clement stopped running after touching second base before starting again to third.
The Dodgers captured an early lead over the Blue Jays with left fielder Enrique Hernandez hitting an RBI single, scoring Teoscar Hernandez, in the second inning.
Los Angeles scored again in the third when catcher Will Smith singled to right field and Mookie Betts scored from second base.
The Blue Jays wound up tying the game in the fourth inning from a two-run homer from center fielder Daulton Varsho.
Toronto got a much-needed boost to its lineup for the World Series, with star middle infielder Bo Bichette finally returning from injury for Game 1.
Bichette, 27, played second base for Friday’s game, a position he has not played since entering the big leagues in 2019.
“I think every part of this is a challenge, but I think it would be even if I had been playing,” Bichette told reporters Friday. “The World Series is a different animal. Luckily, I’ve had a lot of time in my life at second base, so I have some experience there.
“I mean, I feel ready to contribute there.”
