HOUSTON, TX– Yuli Gurriel hit a solo home run, the first of his postseason career, to spark a four-run second inning for the Astros. Lance McCullers Jr. went five-and-one-third innings for the Astros, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks with three strikeouts, and Brad Peacock held the Dodgers hitless and scoreless in the last three-and-two-thirds innings, walking one and striking out four to earn his first career save as the Houston Astros took a 2-1 lead in the 2017 World Series with a 5-3 win Friday night.
After scoring two runs in their first 16 innings played in the 2017 World Series, the Astros had scored 10 runs in the following six innings after the four-run second. The offensive rally in the second inning also forced Dodgers’ starter Yu Darvish out of the game, giving him the shortest start of his career at one-and-two-thirds innings pitched. Peacock’s appearance was the longest no-hit relief appearance since Ron Taylor for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964.
Kenta Maeda, Tony Watson, Brandon Morrow, Tony Cingrani and Ross Stripling kept the Astros to one unearned run, six hits and three walks, striking out a combined six in the last six-and-one-third innings.
In the top of the fourth inning, with the Dodgers trailing by three and one out in the inning, Yasiel Puig shot a ball down the third base line and, after the ball tipped off Astros’ third baseman Alex Bregman’s glove, into foul territory in left. The ball slowly rolled towards the foul line as left fielder Marwin Gonzalez and shortstop Carlos Correa charged to get it. But Puig broke for second base late, having not seen the ball get past Bregman, and Correa fired the ball to Jose Altuve in time to tag Puig out and halt a potential Dodgers rally.
Astros’ centerfielder George Springer also made a diving catch in the top of the fifth inning to keep the Dodgers off the board. Joc Pederson, who had doubled, stood on third base after a ground out moved him over. This brought to the plate Chris Taylor with two outs, who immediately jumped on a first-pitch curveball and lined it into shallow center. Springer came charging towards the infield and laid out to make the inning-ending grab, saving at least one run.
The win was the Astros’ first home World Series win in franchise history. They are now 7-0 at home this postseason, making them the third team (2008 Phillies and 2015 Royals) in MLB history to do so. Game three will be Saturday at 8:20 p.m. in Houston. The projected starters are Alex Wood for the Dodgers and Charlie Morton for the Astros.
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