The LA Dodgers tried their best to chip away at the Houston Astros lead all game but they fell short and Houston now leads the World Series 2-1 after a 5-3 win in Game 3.
It was Houston’s first-ever World Series win at Minute Maid Park after the Astros were swept back in 2005.
In a series dominated by home runs, Houston won with small ball in Game 3. Although the scoring was started by a solo home run by Yuli Gurriel in the 2nd inning.
Gurriel is the 12th different player to homer in the World Series. The record is 13.
Gurriel’s home run started a big inning for the Astros, who chased Dodgers starter Yu Darvish in less than two innings as Darvish allowed four runs, all earned, on six hits while getting just five outs before manager Dave Roberts went to his bullpen.
It was a far cry from Darvish’s first start at Minute Maid Park as a member of the Texas Rangers in April of 2013, when Darvish took a perfect game into the 9th inning.
After Gurriel’s home run, Darvish allowed the next four men to reach base, including RBI singles from Marwin Gonzalez and Brian McCann. After a sac fly that scored the fourth run of the inning and a double by Jose Altuve, Darvish was pulled.
The Dodgers wasted little time trying to get back into the game as they loaded the bases on Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. with nobody out. Yasiel Puig’s run-scoring double play was all the Dodgers could muster out of that situation, though.
The Astros increased their lead to 5-1 in the fifth inning on an error that allowed Josh Reddick to score on an errant throw.
But the Dodgers got two more runs in the 6th inning, one on a Yasiel Puig groundout and the other on a wild pitch.
That was the last time the Dodgers threatened, though, as Astros reliever Brad Peacock only allowed one baserunner the rest of the game.
McCullers got the win, throwing more than five innings and allowing three runs, all earned, on four hits and four walks. Peacock got the save, relieving McCullers in the 6th inning and finishing the game allowing no hits in more than three innings of work.
This was Peacock’s first career save.
Darvish took the loss for the Rangers.
The projected starters for Game 4 on Saturday in Houston are Alex Wood for the Dodgers and Charlie Morton for the Astros.
FIRST PITCH
Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt threw out the first pitch before Game 3. Watt has become the face of "Houston Strong," raising tens of millions of dollars for local charities to help people recover from Hurricane Harvey.
RAISE THE ROOF
The Houston Astros played with the roof closed during Game 3, to better control the temperature of the ballpark and help the crowd sound even louder.
In 2005, Major League Baseball prevented the Astros from closing the roof during their two games at Minute Maid Park.