World Series Game Two, 2017

Astros at Dodgers, 5:09 PM PT, TV: Fox

The Astros send out their waiver-trade-deadline acquisition par excellence, RHP Justin Verlander. All Verlander has done since coming over from the Tigers is win nine games without a loss, including four postseason games this year. He’ll be opposed by the Dodgers’ LHP Rich Hill, who’s pitched nine innings in two starts in the postseason without a decision.


Today in baseball history:

  • 1981 In Game 5 at Dodger Stadium, Pedro Guerrero’s and Steve Yeager’s back-to-back solo home runs in the seventh inning off Yankee southpaw Ron Guidry give Los Angeles a 2-1 win, its third victory in the Fall Classic. Guerrero and Yeager, along with teammate Ron Cey, will be named as the co-recipients of the World Series MVP award.
  • 1986 One strike from defeat, the Mets tie the game on a wild pitch and then, thanks to Bill Buckner’s error, win Game 6, knotting the Fall Classic at three games apiece. This event was selected as one of baseball’s 30 most memorable moments. “If one picture is worth a thousand words, you have seen about a million words, but more than that, you have seen an absolutely bizarre finish to Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.” – Vin Scully, describing the aftermath of the play after a long silence.
  • 2005 The first World Series game ever to be played in the state of Texas proves to be memorable when Geoff Blum’s 14th inning solo home run (the 30th Major Leaguer to hit a HR in his first World Series AB) becomes the beginning of the end of the longest Fall Classic contest ever played. The 7-5 victory, which gives the White Sox a commanding 3-0 advantage over the Astros, takes 5 hours, 41 minutes to complete, with the 14 frames equaling the number of innings the Red Sox needed to beat the Dodgers in Game 2 of the 1916 series.
  • 2005 Mark Buehrle becomes the first pitcher to start and save consecutive World Series contests. After receiving a no-decision starting Game 2, the 26 year-old southpaw gets the final out in the 14th inning of Game 3 to record a save as the White Sox beat the Astros, 7-5.

Lineup when available.

502 thoughts on “World Series Game Two, 2017

  1. Tough job! All three managers of teams from the East that made the playoffs have been fired.

    • Discussions seems to be in a bit of a vacuum as it doesn’t speak to who starts in left field. Wouldn’t it be Joc as Quique has a real hard time with righthanded pitchers in general and breaking ball pitchers in particular?

  2. After catching up on the comments below it seems like there is agreement on taking Hill out. I was so sure that Bellinger won the game with a home run. It feels like it was actually was a home run that got batted down.

  3. So, today’s narrative is all about the fact that the ‘Stros hit against our bullpen. How about the fact that first we hit against Verlander? Anything can happen next, is all I’m saying. I don’t mind our being suddenly perceived as the underdogs, either. The Astros haven’t lost a post-season game at home yet? Bring it on!

    • Good point – – Dodgers beat their best pitcher , they beat the Blue’s best reliever.

  4. Girardi out as Yank skipper! Nats probably won’t offer enough money or years given their track record.

    • I think that was the right move. I know he has done it before, but at the time I felt uneasy about Kenley going for 6. I’m not saying it was wrong, but going 6 with no one one base is obviously very different in going 6 with someone already on 2nd

      • Was there an option? Would you rather have kept Morrow in after he gave up the double and the heart of the order due up? I think you go with the best you have in that situation, which is Kenley.

  5. One of the best games I have ever seen…

    That being said, Stripling fouled up Roberts’ plans. His short outing brings in Morrow a couple batters early. Removing Hill after 4? I was ok with that. He was pitching in and around trouble the whole time he was in there.

    Smoltz is slanted against the Dodgers for some reason, but one thing he did say that I agreed with was about issuing walks, making them earn it.

    • Morrow’ outing was a bit more abbreviated than Doc might have wanted, though Puig gave it all he had. Still, Kenley well acquainted with six outs in the playoffs. Last year he got 7, 7 and 9 in three games.

    • From my perspective at the game, Hill was lucky not to have gotten hit harder than he was. I had no problem with pulling him. The only disappointment was, as you say, that four pitch walk by Stripling. None of the four was even close. (Also, remember the first inning, when Hill threw BEHIND Springer? That was not a good look.) As Kenley said afterwards, the difference was that one flat fat uncutter down the middle pitch. Just as Verlander was due a couple mistakes, so was Kenley. And dare I say, the Astros are due a post season loss at home. Also, what about the ball hitting Taylor’s hat brim and later their catcher’s errant throw hitting the Ump!?!? Talk about Chance at play.

      • Point taken, things do tend to even out. Still think it was one of the best games I have ever seen, although I would have loved to pin a loss on Verlander. But I have thought all along we would win in 6, meaning we now have to take 2 of 3 in Houston. Doable with Darvish and Kershaw going in games 3 and 5.

      • Well, it was such a crazy crazy back and forth game, we were all pretty exhausted. I heard a lot of second guessing of Doc – especially pulling Hill and using KJ for six outs – but no one wanted their money Back!

        • Hill was lifted before his third time around in both his previous playoff starts this year. Nothing unusual.

  6. Doc was calm and reflective in postgame interview.
    When Kenley was in there, I recalled what he’s said: to be the best, you have to beat the best.
    Each side had their own moments of beating the other side’s best tonight.

  7. How did Bellinger’s ball not go out in the ninth?
    The way balls were flying out of there he must have only hit what was a routine fly ball on a normal night.

  8. Houston’s first franchise WS win.
    Nothing against them, but hope they don’t add to it.

    • They did — impressed with that.
      Now the forgetting (about the bad plays/pitches) has to come into play.

  9. this is going to kill me, I have to take my car in for a rego check in about 5 minutes, so hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised later on.

  10. I told my son that a comeback is definitely possible but highly unlikely.

    THIS TEAM!!!

  11. Now I’m hoping for perhaps the most unfair rule — that Kenley gets the win after blowing the save.
    C’mon, bats — no 10th inning!!!

  12. When Kenley was in last night and struggling a bit, JT came in and talked to him. Did anyone hear them talk about what was said? I’m guessing referencing the wedding conversation about unfinished business . .. and right where they want to be.

    • I read about another guy who’s at tonight’s game whose first Series game was also Gehrig’s.

    • Trying to steal a few outs before bringing in the big guns. Hard to blame him. Bottom of the order ahead by two runs.

  13. Watson is from Grimes, Iowa where I currently reside. He donated money for a new scoreboard for high school baseball field.

  14. Not good getting the first batter on.
    How about one of those trademarked DPs the Blue hit into last night?

    • Definitely feel the same.
      But they’ve floundered first go-round before, only to come back.
      Here’s hoping . . .

  15. It’s been soo long, I don’t remember — do the Dodgers get to do their own radio broadcast in the Series? I tuned into my station and it’s apparently ESPN.

  16. Okay, we knew it would be tough and it looks like Verlander isn’t going to disappoint — unfortunately. Still, the Dodgers this year have done ground on the 2nd and 3rd go-rounds.
    Hopefully Rich has settled down.

  17. Barnes dropped one of those in Wrigley in the wind. Ended up on his backside on that one.

  18. From now on, the default version of the national anthem should be Hendrix on the video screen.

  19. Arrrrgh!! Stuck in a long meeting with a client. I am hoping you all get us off to a good start. (Forgot to tape the game).