DODGERS FALL FOUL OF AWAY DAY BLUES

IN three of the past four seasons, the World Series has gone down to its seventh game decider. On each occasion, baseball’s title has been won by the away team on the night. This year was no different, Houston Astros winning 5-1 at Los Angeles Dodgers, to take the series 4-3. They follow on from Chicago Cubs winning at Cleveland Indians, and San Francisco Giants winning at Kansas City Royals. The last two occasions when a European Cup finalist has had home advantage have ended in defeat, too — Bayern Munich to Chelsea in 2012, Roma to Liverpool in 1984. Sports analysts make a great deal of playing at home, but the higher the stakes the greater the pressure. The Dodgers were 5-0 down before the end of the second inning on Wednesday and could not recover. Expectation overwhelmed them, and starting pitcher Yu Darvish (above). They would have been better in Texas.