Over the last few seasons, Charlie Morton has been the anti-Clayton Kershaw.
The 36-year-old righthander entered Friday with a 1.45 ERA in nine postseason games, beginning when he blanked the Yankees over five innings in Game 7 of the 2017 ALCS while pitching with the Astros. He pitched the final four innings of that year’s World Series, which Houston won over the Dodgers. In five playoff starts since joining the Rays, Morton had allowed just four runs (two earned) over 25 2/3 innings.
So, of course, in a year when narratives are debunked and nothing makes sense, Morton gave up five runs over less than five innings in Game 3, which the Dodgers won, 6–2, to take a 2–1 lead in the World Series.