¡Dodgers!

Promises in sports take on a special meaning when they are fulfilled in memory of an idol. Dave Roberts, manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, was able to make the wish he made to Mexican Fernando Valenzuela come true after his death a week ago. Rest in peace; We will win it only for you!wrote on his social networks, who yesterday from the bench guided the ninth team from Los Angeles to win the World Series by beating the New York Yankees (4-1) 7-6 in the fifth game.

On many occasions, baseball stories provide multiple joys due to the exploits of the protagonists on the diamond, but in some cases they acquire a melancholic plot in their outcome. This year’s Fall Classic had those overtones from the beginning due to the death of one of the great idols of the Los Angeles ninth, who received a tribute when opening the series at Dodgers Stadium, which was packed to bid farewell among fans. , family members, managers and famous people to the cause of the Fernandomania.

I feel that Fernando was an older brother for me, an incredible player and a very important person, I will miss him for life and I hope he is happy and happy for his familyRoberts said at a press conference before the finals.

With yesterday’s victory, the Dodgers won their eighth Major League title, of which three of them had outstanding performances by Mexican players. Valenzuela was part of the novenas in 1981 and 1988, while in 2020, Julio Urías was a fundamental piece in winning the title.

In contrast, the Yankees have not been crowned since 2009, although in the confrontations between both teams in the World Series, the Manhattan Mules They maintain the advantage by winning eight of 12 times, while the Dodgers were victorious in four.

The iconic number 34 The Bull Valenzuela has twice witnessed the conquest of the World Series against those from the Bronx. In 1981, that symbol was immortalized on the flannel of The Bull of Etchohuaquila pitching from the mound at only 20 years old, while yesterday at Yankee Stadium, that emblematic digit was a spectator of a new title for the Los Angeles ninth, accompanying each player from the team of his loves with the insignia on their shirts, two days later of the anniversary of his birth.

During the duel, Freddie Freeman, the hero of this World Series and most valuable player, had been contained by the good pitches of starter Gerrit Cole of the Yankees, until in the fifth inning, a rally five runs for two hits tied the game, after a double by Dominican Teoscar Hernández.

The game started with an intractable Cole, containing the power of the wood of the Japanese star Shohei Ohtani and Freeman himself. With the motivation of the victory of the previous duel, the American Aaron Judge and the Bahamian Chisholm Jr, hit a pair of home runs to take the lead on the scoreboard.

The shoulder injury of the Japanese star, who arrived this year at the Dodgers as the highest-paid player in history, prevented him from providing memorable performances in the final championship games, although it was not necessary for him to lift his first title. the league. Roberts, for his part, became one of the franchise’s winningest managers alongside legend Tommy Lasorda.

In front of a packed and overwhelming stadium, the voices of the Bronx fans became louder with each pitch by Cole, who struck out three rivals in the first four rolls, driven by the support of his audience, who went crazy with the third home run. of the night, coming from the wood of Giancarlo Stanton. Before, Mexican Alex Verdugo hit a single to right field for Anthony Volpe to score.

The constant errors of both squads caused the score to change sides with the passing of each inning, and as the duel progressed in Los Angeles they cherished a new award.

At the end of the sixth inning, a sacrifice fly to center fielder Stanton allowed Juan Soto to score, giving the Yankees a 6-5 lead again. For the next roll, the pitcher Clay Holmes came on in relief of Cole to face the end of the game.

After the last out, the Dodgers players celebrate jubilantly. Photo Ap

For the eighth inning, Gavin Lux also hit a sacrifice fly with which Puerto Rican Enrique Hernández scored and minutes later, Mookie Betts did the same for Tommy Edman to score 7-6. With two men on base for the Manhattan Mules At the close of the chapter, pitcher Blake Treinen prevented them from being present with points by getting the third out.

The nervousness and uncertainty was present until the last episode, in which also with two on board, Mark Leiter Jr gave one last hope to the Bronx Bombers. But at the end and with Verdugo at bat forced to connect to extend the duel, Walker Buehler made the out of the triumph, which occurred in the midst of a context of tribute to one of the most representative players in the history of the franchise, as was The Bull of Etchohuaquila.

Valenzuela was exceptional for multiple reasons. He didn’t even have the appearance of an athlete like those who dominate the Major Leagues today. The Bull He was a dark, robust and long-haired young man who could well have been the cousin of an average Mexican.

The Mexican-American writer Michael Jaime-Becerra published for Los Angeles Times that the impact it had on the migrant community, or on their descendants in that country, was decisive in the construction of a positive identity. The university professor also says that as a child he felt a warm familiarity when seeing a baseball player who looked more like his uncle than the players he used to follow on the field at that time.

After the events after his death, there is still uncertainty due to his absence from the Hall of Fame, despite the fact that his legendary number was retired a year ago, so in November 2020, Valenzuela chatted with The Day and when asked if it seemed unfair that his number was not retired from the Dodgers, he only alluded to a tradition on the team.

In that institution, only the numbers of the players who are part of the Hall of Fame had been canceled. The Sonoran does not enjoy that privilege for reasons of cold statistics, that is to say – he said The Bull– that apparently the figures he had did not seem sufficient to incorporate him.

Nobody has used it after me on the teamresponded to The Day at the time; For Dodgers there is a policy: enter the Hall of Fame so that that tribute can be made. It has been many years since I was eligible and yet they have not voted for me. That is not important, not as important as being remembered by people, because there I do have a prize that few of us enjoy..