You can read the full report from tonight’s game here:
Final thoughts
Well that was the first World Series game ever won in Houston. It wasn’t the game we were expecting, or anyone was expecting, but the Astros will take it. I doubt anybody heading in would have tagged Brad Peacock as the winner in the McCullers vs Darvish pitching matchup. Houston are a game up, but the Dodgers absolutely are capable of a counter-punch. We’ll see how they respond to their deficit in Saturday’s Game 4, which we will be liveblogging here at the Guardian. Thanks to everybody who followed along with us for Game 3, especially those who contributed. Ciao!
The Houston Astros have taken a 2-1 lead in the World Series!
Astros win Game 3!
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, FINAL
Yasmani Grandal might end up being the last batter of the game. He doesn’t help his case by taking strike one and then fouling the next pitch off for strike 2. Grandal doesn’t offer at a ball outside the zone. Peacock’s fourth pitch was close to the outside corner, but he doesn’t get the call. 2-2 on Grandal. Grandal keeps himself alive by fouling off the next offering. Still 2-2. Grandal swings and fouls off another on. The crowd in Houston is still up on its feet, trying to will one more out. Grandal hits a long foul ball that makes the seats. That’s seven pitches.
Finally he hits a long but lazy fly that Reddick catches and the Astros have won Game 3!
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, top 9th
And Chase Utey hits one back to Peacock for a second out. I’m starting to think this guy is pretty good.
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, top 9th
Hey, it’s Peacock again. I guess Hinch is keeping him in the game until it stops working out.
And Peacock gets Puig to strike out swinging. I would call that “working out.”
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, bottom 8th
Gurriel grounds out. Now the Astros are three outs away from securing a 2-1 World Series lead.
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, bottom 8th
Altuve is caught looking at strike three. Correa is up next and he hits a solid single to keep the inning going.
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, bottom 8th
Stripling is back out there for the bottom of the 8th. Maybe the last Dodgers pitcher of the game? He gets Bregman to fly out to right.
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, top 8th
Peacock strikes out Bellinger, increasing his World Series strikeout total to roughly 3,585.
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, top 8th
Turner pops out to McCann, who makes the catch in foul ground. Peacock getting the job done here, especially compared with how the Dodgers had to throw everything at the Astros hitters tonight.
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, top 8th
Peacock is out to start the 8th. He strikes out Seager on four pitches. Astros fans are starting to sniff the finish line here. There’s a pretty enthusiastic applause for the out.
Presumably Jansen wasn't available for the 1 1/3 inning hold tonight for the Dodgers. @HunterFelt
— David Lengel (@LengelDavid) October 28, 2017
I wouldn’t be shocked if Roberts was tempted.
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, bottom 7th
Ross Stripling is up to face George Springer with the bases loaded. His first two pitches are off the plate. Springer hits the third pitch long but foul. On 2-1, he hits one high to center, oh my god is he going to….
Nope, Taylor makes the catch by the wall and the Dodgers are still in this one. They’re running out of outs though.
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, bottom 7th
Cingrani gets Gonzalez to pop out to second. Up comes McCann who grounds out to Bellinger who can’t quite make the play. They’ll call this an infield single and everybody is safe. And we have another pitching change!
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, bottom 7th
Tony Cingrani is here to pitch for the Dodgers now. Reddick pops up a bunt attempt, which leaves him understandably frustrated. The Dodgers then intentionally walk Gattis.
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, bottom 7th
Gurriel hits a double off of Morrow. This time he does not celebrate his hit with a racist gesture, so that’s an improvement for him. Roberts comes to take out Morrow.
Seventh Inning Stretch
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, top 7th
..And Peacock gets Taylor to ground out to first and we’ve hit the seventh inning stretch.
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, top 7th
Peacock gets Pederson to strike out. Andre Ethier is here to pinch-hit for Hernandez. Ethier manages to work a walk and, as odd as it seems, the tying run is coming to the plate in the form of Chris Taylor.
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, top 7th
Peacock is starting the 7th. He gets a pinch-hitting Yasmani Grandal to fly out.
Oh. This is... This is uh not an incredibly great look here. I have a feeling we’re going to hear a bit about this after the game.
Yuli Gurriel under fire after gesture made in dugout after homering off Yu Darvish: https://t.co/CoY4gEYRDG pic.twitter.com/TmF1HJNUTo
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) October 28, 2017
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, bottom 6th
And he gets Correa on three pitches as well. That does it for the sixth.
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, bottom 6th
Morrow gets Altuve to strike out on three straight sliders. Nice trick if you can do it.
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, bottom 6th
Morrow gets Springer to ground out, but he’s safe at first after Turner’s poor throw pulls Bellinger off the bag. Morrow then walks Bregman on four straight pitches. This is almost exactly opposite of the way the Dodgers need to play this half-inning.
World Series teams should be permitted add and drop a player as the DH comes and goes. Different rules, different personnel. @HunterFelt
— David Lengel (@LengelDavid) October 28, 2017
(speaking in a frequency where baseball traditionalists can’t hear me) Or maybe both leagues should have the DH.
Dodgers 3-5 Astros, bottom 6th
Tony Watson starts off the bottom of the sixth. An additional run or two here would make Houston feel a lot more confident. McCann is up first, and he works a full count before popping up. And that will do it for Watson. The Dodgers turn to Brandon Morrow.
Turner scores on wild pitch! Dodgers 3-5 Astros, top 6th
Or they would have been okay with that transaction had Peacock managed to avoid throwing a wild pitch to Chase Utley that let Turner score from third. Utley eventually fouls out, but it’s now a two-run game and it has a very, very different feel now.
Run scoring groundout! Dodgers 2-5 Astros, top 6th
Brad Peacock is in the game to face Yasiel Puig. Puig grounds out to second. Seager scores, Turner makes it to third. That’s the second out though so the Astros are okay with that transaction.
Dodgers 1-5 Astros, top 6th
Whoa. McCullers gets Cody Bellinger to strike out swinging and that will be all for him. A.J. Hinch comes out to remove him. Standing ovation here in Houston. Can’t say he doesn’t deserve it. Now it’s time to see if the Astros bullpen can hammer this down.
Dodgers 1-5 Astros, top 6th
And there’s a major hit, with Justin Turner hitting a double off of McCullers. Dodgers have runners on second and third now with no outs.
Dodgers 1-5 Astros, top 6th
Well, the Dodgers add a walk, courtesy of Seager, to their offensive total.
Dodgers 1-5 Astros, bottom 5th
Watson gets Gonzalez to strike out, but the Astros pick up another run. This is starting to look a little bleak for the Dodgers.
The Dodgers have eight hits in their last 16 innings. Verlander isn't pitching today. @HunterFelt
— David Lengel (@LengelDavid) October 28, 2017
Reddick scores on a throwing error. Dodgers 1-5 Astros, bottom 5th
Tony Watson is in to face Gurriel, whom he gets to ground out almost immediately. Next up is Reddick, who hits a solid single. Evan Gattis gets a gift hit as Watson’s throw goes awry allowing Reddick to score.
Dodgers 1-4 Astros, bottom 5th
Tony Watson is in to face Gurriel, whom he gets to ground out almost immediately. Next up is Reddick, who hits a solid single.
Dodgers 1-4 Astros, bottom 5th
Maeda is out for another inning. He gets Correa to ground out and Maeda is gone after throwing 40+ pitches. This could end up having some carry-over effect on the Dodgers bullpen going forward.
Dodgers 1-4 Astros, top 5th
Chris Taylor *nearly* scores Pederson from third but Springer dives to steal a single away from him. And thus ends LA’s half of the fifth.
Dodgers 1-4 Astros, top 5th
McCullers is here to start the 5th, facing Austin Barnes. He hits a routine fly ball to Reddick. Up next is Joc Pederson, who manages to stretch a base hit into a double. Something of a surprise that, especially after Puig got thrown out earlier.
Hernandez immediately grounds out to second, putting Pederson on third.
Dodgers 1-4 Astros, bottom 4th
Jose Altuve grounds out to end the inning. A thankfully uneventful inning for the Dodgers.
Dodgers 1-4 Astros, bottom 4th
Maeda gets Springer to strike out swinging. He then gets ahead of Bregman 1-2, his slider is just nasty here. Bregman fouls off Maeda’s fourth pitch and can’t quite connect on the fifth. That’s two straight k’s.
Dodgers 1-4 Astros, bottom 4th
Maeda is out to start the fourth for the Dodgers. I guess he’s here for a bit. McCann gets a bloop single to start off the Houston half of the fourth.
Dodgers 1-4 Astros, top 4th
Oof. Puig gets thrown out by Correa trying to get to second. Forsythe flies out. Another frustrating inning for the Dodgers.
Dodgers 1-4 Astros, top 4th
McCullers is back out there for the 4th. Let’s see if he can steady himself after last inning. And he gets Bellinger to strike out swinging. That’s a decent sign.
Dodgers 1-4 Astros, bottom 3rd
Marwin Gonzalez puts together a decent at-bat before grounding out to first to end the inning.
Dodgers 1-4 Astros, bottom 3rd
And Reddick also pops out to Turner. It looks like Maeda can get out of the inning quickly but has some troubles putting Gattis away, eventually walking him.
Dodgers 1-4 Astros, bottom 3rd
Maeda is back out there, facing Gurriel, who started all the scoring last inning. He pops up to Turner.
Lift Hill early, asking for 2 innings from Jansen = elimination game managing. Pen couldn't be scoreless 4ever. Trickle down. @HunterFelt
— David Lengel (@LengelDavid) October 28, 2017
And now the bullpen comes in somewhat exposed in a game where the Dodgers absolutely need them.
Dodgers 1-4 Astros, top 3rd
And it’s down to Justin Turner here to see if the Dodgers can do any more damage this inning. Nope, he grounds out to short and Houston escapes a jam with minimal damage.
Run-scoring double play! Dodgers 1-4 Astros, top 3rd
And Corey Seager hits into a double play. Pederson scores, but the Astros will gladly take the two outs. Hernandez is on third.
Dodgers 0-4 Astros, top 3rd
Chris Taylor gets ahead of the count 3-1. This is getting nerve-wracking. We might be heading into a bullpen game no matter what.
Taylor fouls off another pitch. 3-2. And McCullers’ next pitch is outside and the bases are loaded with nobody out. This is not ideal.
Dodgers 0-4 Astros, top 3rd
McCullers throws three straight balls to Enrique Hernandez. That’s the exact opposite of what you want to see from a starter after your team gets four runs.
And there’s ball four. Two on, nobody out for the Dodgers.
Dodgers 0-4 Astros, top 3rd
McCullers is back after a very long pitching break. He’s facing Joc Pederson who puts on a pretty nifty at-ball, finally working a walk on pitch number nine.
Yu Darvish just didn’t have the command tonight, but I’m sure that Dodgers writers aren’t going to use this to make incredibly lazy accusations about his heart. I mean that would just be...
Yep, it turns out, Yu Darvish didn't want any part of this...Dodger will remember this night this winter when Darvish becomes an FA.
— Bill Plaschke (@BillPlaschke) October 28, 2017
(Sighs heavily.)
Dodgers 0-4 Astros, bottom 2nd
Kenta Maeda is in. He gets Correa to fly out to right to end the nightmare inning for the Dodgers. Well. That wasn’t what I was expecting here, I’ll say that much.
Dodgers 0-4 Astros, bottom 2nd
Altuve hits a double and any other baserunner who wasn’t Brian McCann would have scored. Dave Roberts takes out Darvish, but is it already too late?
Sacrifice fly, Astros! Dodgers 0-4 Astros, bottom 2nd
Bregman hits a flyball to center to score Gonzalez. At least there was an out there?
Dodgers 0-3 Astros, bottom 2nd
Darvish’s first two pitches are way off. There’s activity in the Dodgers pen and they might need someone very very soon. Springer takes another strike and then gets solid contact on a fastball but it’s hit right at Bregman for the first out of the inning.
Astros single in another run! Dodgers 0-3 Astros, bottom 2nd
Welp. Darvish’s having an off-night. Brian McCann is up next, and he hits a single to knock in Gattis. Gonzalez gets to third.
Astros single in a run! Dodgers 0-2 Astros, bottom 2nd
And here is Marwin Gonzalez who could have the most hilarious World Series home runs of all time here…. attempts to bunt at 1-1 and manages to miss. It’s 1-2. And we have another mound visit here. Gonzalez hits one…. it’s not quite out. Taylor almost makes the catch, so Reddick scores but Gattis only makes it to second.
Dodgers 0-1 Astros, bottom 2nd
Evan Gattis is up next, with Reddick on second. Darvish falls behind 3-1. He throws a pitch right in the zone that Gattis could hit out, but instead he fouls it off. 3-2. Gattis fouls off the next pitch. Darvish goes up-and-in and that’s ball four. Two on, still nobody out. Dave Roberts himself comes out to talk to his pitcher, not a good sign this early in a game.
Dodgers 0-1 Astros, bottom 2nd
And Josh Reddick hits a double and this place is very, very loud.
Home Run! Dodgers 0-1 Astros, bottom 2nd
Yuli Gurriel facing Yu Darvish. He takes a strike, and then two balls, and then laces the fourth pitch or the at-bat for a home run to left field!
Dodgers 0-0 Astros, top 2nd
Forstyhe steals second on a 2-2 pitch to Austin Barnes. It’s a ball outside. Barnes grounds out to third on the next pitch, however, to end any potential drama.
Dodgers 0-0 Astros, top 2nd
Logan Forstyhe hits a single, and that’s the first baserunner of the night for LA.
Dodgers 0-0 Astros, top 2nd
Yasiel Puig swings at the first pitch he sees and he grounds out to second. They are, uh, not so much making McCulllers work.
Dodgers 0-0 Astros, top 2nd
McCullers’s first pitch to Cody Bellinger is a strike. As is the second one. And then he swings and misses at pitch 3. Not… not the greatest series for Bellinger.
Dodgers 0-0 Astros, bottom 1st
It’s up to Carlos Correa, who grounds out to short to end the inning.
Dodgers 0-0 Astros, bottom 1st
Jose Altuva hits a hanging slider but he doesn’t get enough of it. It’s a long flyball that gets Springer to third, but there’s now two outs.
Dodgers 0-0 Astros, bottom 1st
Alex Bregman is up next with Springer on second. A good chance to score early here for Houston. Bregman keeps fouling off Darvish’s offerings, making him work here early on. Finally, he manages to get contact but it’s a groundout to third that doesn’t get Springer to third base. Wasted opportunity there.
Dodgers 0-0 Astros, bottom 1st
And here’s last night hero, George Springer, facing Yu Darvish. Darvish falls behind Springer 3-1 and then he knocks a double into centerfield for a lead-off double.
Dodgers 0-0 Astros, top 1st
Justin Turner hits a long fly that Minute Maid just barely contains. George Springer makes the catch and that’s it for the first inning. I’m already not confident with my home run prediction.
Dodgers 0-0 Astros, top 1st
Chris Taylor grounds out to Jose Altuva, who just throws him out for the second out.
Game 3 begins
Dodgers 0-0 Astros, top 1st
Lance McCullers Jr’s first pitch to Chris Tayor is a ball. As his second. He gets a strike over he plate the next pitch. Taylor takes ball 3 before hitting a super-shallow flyball.
Email from Richard Woods:
Hi Hunter,
At the age of 50 and a lot I found myself becoming mildly obsessed with baseball, and as my wife is Canadian, my support had to go to the Blue Jays. I went to my first ever game in July - a home match up against the Red Sox at Rogers Stadium. On that day I confidently predicted that the Jays would walk it. They lost 15-1. So put all your money on the Dodgers, because I’m going for the Astros in 6 games because of their sheer cussedness, and in the future for Justin Turner’s beard to make it to the Hall of Fame completely independently of Justin himself.
I am personally very pro-Justin Turner’s beard, although this is a more well-groomed World Series than those we’ve had in the past.
J.J. Watt threw out the first pitch. (He’s more popular than his boss right now I would assume.)
That was a most impressively timed eagle swoop to open #WorldSeries2017 Game 3 @HunterFelt #LetsGoDodgers
— Steve Busfield (@Busfield) October 28, 2017
The MLB’s really laying on the patriotism this postseason. By this time next year the American flag will be big enough to act as the roof.
A blast from the Guardian past here, as the legendary Steve Busfield steps in with a prediction:
.@Dodgers in Seven. Please. @HunterFelt #LetsGoDodgers https://t.co/u0wLblzMBS
— Steve Busfield (@Busfield) October 28, 2017
Extra prediction: there will only be four home runs total in this game. Yes I’m aware that it’s being played in Minute Maid Park.
@HunterFelt dodgers in 6 - starting pitchers are too strong, closers are too powerful #WorldSeries2017
— Jacob Staton (@vivajakers) October 27, 2017
That’s my take as well. (Note considering my luck with predictions this may not be comforting.)
Predictions
Since the first two games of this series were so great, a fast-paced pitching duel and a chaotic extra-inning game featuring an improbable number of momentum-swinging home runs, I’m convinced I’m going to get stuck with a yawner here. Maybe an early crooked number here? I could see the Dodgers getting up 6-0 and the Astros bats falling back to earth. Maybe 7-2 final, Dodgers up 2-1 on the series.
Your theories? Send them to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com (via email) or to @HunterFelt (if you’d rather tweet).
Well even more turmoil in the world of major league managers, with Joe Girardi out of the New York Yankees. That’s after the Washington Nationals parted ways with Dusty Baker and the Boston Red Sox replacing John Farrell with Alex Cora, who is currently the bench coach for the Astros. A lot on his plate.
Houston Astros starters
1. George Springer, CF
2. Alex Bregman, 3B
3. Jose Altuve, 2B
4. Carlos Correa, SS
5. Yuli Gurriel, 1B
6. Josh Reddick, RF
7. Evan Gattis, DH
8. Marwyn Gonzalez LF
9. Brian McCann, C
I would have put Gonzalez farther up the lineup just to troll Yu Darvish.
LA Dodgers starters
1. Chris Taylor, CF
2. Corey Seager, SS
3. Justin Turner, 3B
4. Cody Bellinger, 1B
5. Yasiel Puig, RF
6. Logan Forsythe, 2B
7. Austin Barnes, C
8. Joc Pederson, DH
9. Enrique Hernandez, LF
Before the start of tonight’s game, let’s take one last look at George Springer’s 11th inning home run that put the Astros up 7-5. Thankfully for Houston, they only allowed one home run in the bottom of the 11th and were able to hang on to a 7-6 lead.
Okay I hate to start this whole thing off on a down note, but tonight’s Game 3 probably isn’t going to be as exciting as Wednesday night’s Game 2. The chances of having two of the craziest World Series games of all time in a row is pretty low. With that said, that 11-inning home run fest marked a clear notice that we’re officially in unknown terrain with this series, and it’s now officially impossible to guess where this is all going. The World Series tied up 1-1 which means that tonight’s outcome is going to go a long way as far as determining who’s going to be in control of the series.
Normally you’d say that the Houston Astros, playing their first home game of the series would have the advantage, but that’s not necessarily the case today. After all, the Los Angeles Dodgers are starting right-hander Yu Darvish while Lance McCullers Jr. is the starter for the Houston Astros. Darvish has been sparkling this postseason and has a 4-1 record, with a 2.16 ERA, at Minute Maid Park. The Dodgers have ever reason to expect a dominant outing, which will help them out from a psychological perspective after they blew several chances to leave their home park with a 2-0 record.
As always we’ll be taking your emails (send them to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com) or tweets (those can go to @HunterFelt) throughout tonight’s game. it’s Game 3 of the World Series at Minute Maid Park. The game is officially set to start at 8:20pm EST, but we’ll be back much earlier than that with all sorts of game-related commentary.
Hunter will be here soon. In the meantime, read how the Houston Astros fought back against the Los Angeles Dodgers to win Game 2.
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