Dodger dad celebrates son whose journey took him from Bay Area to the big leagues

OAKLAND, Calif. - Tony Gonsolin, a Bay Area native and pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is celebrating the team’s World Series win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

It snapped a 32 year drought for the baseball club. When the Dodgers last won the World Series in 1988, Gonsolin hadn’t been born yet. But now, the 26-year-old Vacaville native started Game 6 as a rookie pitcher.

His father, Scott Gonsolin, a firefighter with the Oakland Fire Department, was in the stands on Tuesday night cheering on his son.

“I’m always nervous when he’s pitching, especially when he doesn’t have his lights out stuff, but as the night went on... it went from nervousness to jubilation,” Gonsolin said.

Gonsolin said his son always envisioned himself in the big leagues. At 4 years old, Tony started playing Little League baseball in Vacaville and was quickly moved to the next age group because he hit the ball too hard. He went on to play at Vacaville High School and at St. Mary’s College in Moraga where he was both an outfielder and pitcher. He was drafted by the Dodgers in the 9th round in the 2016 MLB draft.

Gonsolin said there has been strong community support for Tony over the years, despite many family friends being die-hard San Francisco Giants fans. But on Tuesday night, the congratulatory texts poured in for Tony and his family.

Gonsolin said if his son ever gets another shot at a World Series Championship, Tony will be ready.

“Him being on the roster, him contributing to the World Series has just been amazing to watch,” Gonsolin said. “He’s got the experience now in a World Series. He’s figured out what that feels like. He’ll be able to take the experience and capitalize on it and succeed even more than he did this year.”

The Oakland Fire Department tweeted about Gonsolin’s World Series win.