Mookie Betts showed off his strength and his speed Tuesday night at Globe Life Field.
Betts crushed a home run in the sixth inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ World Series Game 1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. An inning prior, the star outfielder electrified on the base paths.
The first-year Dodger led off the fifth frame with a walk and proceeded to steal second base. Betts then swiped third and ultimately scored on a fielder’s choice to give LA a 3-1 lead.
During an appearance on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” after the Dodgers’ 8-3 victory, Betts was informed he joined Babe Ruth as the only players in World Series history to walk and steal two bases in the same inning. Host Kenny Mayne asked Betts if he considered stealing home to one-up the Hall of Famer, which prompted the four-time All-Star to crack a joke about his first theft of the game.
“No, I didn’t,” Betts said. “I just needed to get to second so everybody could have some tacos. That’s what’s important to me.”
Of course, Betts is referring to Taco Bell’s “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” promotion, which grants everyone in the country a free taco if there’s a stolen base in the World Series. Betts also won free tacos for the masses in the 2018 World Series as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
Betts and the Dodgers will try to take a 2-0 series lead Wednesday when the sides meet for Game 2 of the best-of-seven set.
