Game 2 was crazy, great
The Associated Press
Smoke came drifting over Dodger Stadium in the extra innings of World Series Game 2 on Wednesday night, though it wasn’t because Houston’s bats were suddenly on fire.
But it did seem an odd coincidence in one of the wildest — and most entertaining — World Series games you ever will see.
On a night when the Dodgers threatened to take a 2-0 lead in the World Series with just two hits, the Astros rallied in the most improbable of ways. In a stretch of seven batters they hit three home runs in the ninth and 10th innings, then added another one in the 11th to take the lead for good.
The Dodgers’ bullpen, which had been so spectacular, imploded. The team that hadn’t lost in 98 games this season with a lead after the eighth inning finally did. And a World Series that struggled to
World Series
Los Angeles 3, Houston 1 Wed.: Houston 7, L.A. 6, (11) Friday: At Houston Saturday: At Houston Sunday: At Houston x-Tuesday: at Los Angeles x-Wed., Nov. 1: at Los Angeles attract viewers in Game 1 suddenly became must-see TV.
“Oh, my gosh. It was crazy,” Carlos Correa said. “A lot of emotions, a lot of feelings.”
Blame it on Dave Roberts over-managing. Blame it on Kenley Jansen for hanging a cutter in the ninth inning of a game all 54,293 in attendance at Dodger Stadium just knew he was going to close out.
Mostly, though, credit a resilient Astros team that just wasn’t ready to lose a game to a team that had only two home runs to show for the first nine innings.
“These guys, they can do a lot of things, and they fight to the last out. They play 27 outs,” Roberts said. “And that’s the same thing we do. And it was one of those games that just ran out of outs.”
How crazy was this game? Here’s a couple of stats:
• Dodgers relievers had gone 28 consecutive innings before allowing a run in the eighth inning.
• And Astros hitters were 9-for-19 with four home runs from the eighth inning on.
“That was a great game on so many levels,” said Houston manager A.J. Hinch. “If you like October baseball, if you like any baseball, that’s one of the most incredible games.”
Incredible, yes. Up until the point Yasiel Puig struck out — after hitting a home run in his previous at bat — fans at Dodger Stadium were on their feet in anticipation of yet another comeback.
After all, hadn’t little used minor-league call-up Charlie Culberson just homered in front of Puig to cut Houston’s lead to 7-6? In a season of the home run, eight of them went out on this wild and crazy night.
The final one for the Astros was the winner, a two-run shot by George Springer — who was just trying to get Cameron Maybin moved over to third base.
That the Dodgers’ bullpen finally cracked wasn’t terribly surprising. They had gone 28 scoreless innings in the postseason but were playing the highest-scoring team in the major leagues.
But Jansen was brought in for a six-out save, and failed. Josh Fields replaced him in the 10th and promptly served up home runs to Jose Altuve and Correa. And starter Brandon McCarthy let up the game winner after the Dodgers had tied it in the 10th.
That’s on the second-year Dodgers manager, who is so super quick with the hook that he let Rich Hill pitch only four innings despite giving up only one run and striking out seven. Roberts replaced another reliever, Josh Fields, after he walked the only batter he faced.