Astros 2-1 up vs Dodgers
HOUSTON – A perfect fit in their own place, the Houston Astros are halfway home. George Springer and the Astros broke out the bats early this time to keep up their unbeaten October run at spirited Minute Maid Park, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 Friday night for a 2-1 lead in the World Series. “We’re very comfortable here,’’ Astros manager A.J. Hinch said.
You can say that again. Houston moved two wins from its first championship, but the game also included this: Yuli Gurriel made a racist gesture shortly after homering off Japanese star Yu Darvish. Major League Baseball will follow up, and punishment is possible.
The ballpark was booming hours earlier, with cheers, chants and a train whistle echoing beneath the closed roof. Deep in the heart of football country, a sellout crowd stood much of the evening. And with every Houston batter getting a hit or walk, fans enjoyed the Friday Night Sights.
“The energy in the building is second to none,’’ Hinch said. “It’s loud. They’re loud the very beginning.’’
Jose Dodgers homered to begin a four-run burst in the second inning that sent Darvish to the shortest start of his career. Back in the dugout, Gurriel put his fingers to the side of his eyes and said “chinito’’ – a derogatory Spanish term that translates literally to “little Chinese.’’ Gurriel, from Cuba, previously played in Japan.
“I feel bad and I apologize for anybody who got offended,’’ Gurriel said through a translator.
Darvish, through a translator, said, “Acting like that, you just disrespect all the people around the world.’’
Astros curveballer Lance McCullers Jr. wobbled, but protected the lead into the sixth. Brad Peacock rose to the occasion with 3 2/3 innings of hitless relief for his first pro save.
With every pitch by Peacock in the ninth, the decibel level increased. “To tell you the truth, when I was out there a couple of times, I got the chills from them screaming so loud,’’ he said.
Springer lined a leadoff double in the first and the Astros went on to win a home game for the first time in the World Series. They were swept by the White Sox in 2005, and this win left them two victories from a most elusive championship.
Game 4 will be Saturday night when Charlie Morton starts for Houston. Left-hander Alex Wood pitches for the Dodgers facing a lineup that has put at least one runner on in 14 straight innings.
“Obviously, this crowd is into it. Very educated, very enthusiastic,’’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “They’ve got some confidence over there, that team.’’
McCullers left in the sixth as Los Angeles scored twice to cut into a 5-1 deficit.