World Series Game Three, 2017

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Dodgers at Astros, 5:00 PM PT, TV: Fox

The Dodgers’ RHP Yu Darvish (2-0, 1.59 ERA in postseason) will face RHP Lance McCullers (0-0, 1 SV, 2.08 in postseason) in Game Three in Houston’s roofed-over Minute Maid Park.

“Past performance does not guarantee future results,” the financial industry cautions, so Darvish and his 4-1 record with a 2.16 ERA in six career starts at the Astros’ park including a near-perfect game and a separate near-no-hitter in 2013 probably just means he’s comfortable pitching there. McCullers used a lot of curveballs in his four-inning save in Game Seven of the ALCS. The Dodgers had the best batting average in baseball against the curve this year (.274) per Statcast, but they are hitting just .167 (7-for-42) off curves this postseason.

Classic photos of the Dodgers in World Series past.

Today in baseball history:

  • 1985 The Royals become the sixth team to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win the Fall Classic when series MVP Bret Saberhagen, who became a new dad yesterday, blanks the Cardinals on five hits, 11-0. Kansas City is the first team in World Series history to lose its first two games at home and then come back to win the World Championship.
  • 1991 In Game 7 of the ‘Worst to First’ World Series, the Twins beat the Braves, 1-0, when Dan Gladden scores the winning run in the bottom of the tenth on Gene Larkin’s single, clinching its second world championship since relocating from Washington D.C. in 1961. Atlanta and Minnesota had both finished in last place in their respective divisions the previous season.


    Jack Morris goes the distance in the game, blanking the Braves, 1-0, in the Twins’ ten-inning, dramatic walk-off win at the Metrodome. The 36 year-old right-hander, who posts a 2-0 record along with a 1.17 ERA during his three starts, is named the Most Valuable Player of the Fall Classic.

  • 2002 In the team’s 42nd season, the Angels finally win a World Series title by beating the Giants, 4-1, in Game 7 at Edison Field. Garret Anderson’s three-run double provides enough offense for John Lackey to become the first rookie to win a seventh game since 1909 when Babe Adams accomplished the feat for the Pirates.
  • 2004 Under the moon’s reddish tint caused by a lunar eclipse, the Red Sox exorcised 86 years of agonizing losses by winning their first World Series since 1918. In one of the most dominating Fall Classic performances, Boston, who never trailed during the four games, blanks the Cardinals, 3-0, to complete the sweep.

Lineup when available.

638 thoughts on “World Series Game Three, 2017”

    • So Gurriel’s using the I didn’t mean to show my racist attitude card. Oh, then it’s ok.

  5. During the game, I thought, this is not good, the Astros are much better than I had expected, the Dodgers seem to have lost their edge, Roberts is a little quick on the trigger, Cody is like a deer in the headlights, Corey…how could he swing when the pitcher is wild…and on and on. It felt the whole game that the Series had slipped away from us.

    Then the game was over, a little time passed. It was just one game. We did everything we could do to lose a game. Yet, still just one game. Aside from one bad inning, the Astros did nothing offensively. We had our chances, leaving 3 or 4 in scoring position. The bullpen recovered and held them down for 6 innings.

    We’ll be ok. Wood gives us 5 or 6 innings today, we have Kershaw tomorrow. And if baseball is consistent in application of discipline, Gurriel is out for maybe a couple games.

    Of course if the Dodgers come back, this will be very upsetting to Buck and Smoltz who have already anointed the Astros, and seem to be outright rooting for them.

    • Didn’t see Doc being quick on the trigger, if anything he left Yu in 2-3 batters more than I might have wanted at least. On Seager swinging, pitchers who are wild tend to groove one just to get it over, particularly with the sacks full, so not necessarily the worst approach in that situation. Gurriel would just appeal, so no way he sits even if suspended. I’d put the adjusted Dodger salaries at around $170 and the ‘Stros at $137.

      • My morning after thought was that last night’s loss was not so hard to swallow because a lot of it seemed self-inflicted due to some poor execution (pitches, fielding, hitting). The real downside is that it makes Game 2’s loss feel significantly worse.
        Oh the difference between 2-0 and 1-1. Don’t lose Game 3.

        • For me, that’s just what made it hard to swallow. These are two pretty evenly matched teams (though, each with it own strengths and weaknesses), so execution is what matters.

        • In that he will continue to play in the WS, sure. But exactly for that reason, the Commish may come down harder than otherwise, knowing that it wouldn’t have an impact now on the field.

      • you’re probably right on Doc, but on Seager I still take a couple until he does throw a strike…

        reason I asked about the salaries, is Buck and Smoltz making a big deal about big market Dodgers vs little Houston…when Houston has to pay their stars market rates, their salaries may very well be higher than ours?

    • My biggest concern is bullpen fatigue. If Wood doesn’t have it, we are in big trouble. The Astros have the bit in their teeth now, and we… don’t. We’ll see. Love my team, either way.

      • Me too, on the pen fatigue and the love. Morton is just the sort of pitcher that the Dodgers should be able to tee off on, but you never know.

      • if it was me, I would have left Maeda in longer…he was pitching well, let him eat up innings, save the bullpen for Woods’ start

        • Maeda had already thrown 42 pitches. Had’t thrown that many since Sept 21. Doc was still managing to win the game and not to save the pen for teh next game. Didn’t work out, Still, beyond Maeda, the pen is available for tonight.

  6. 605 comments are the most comments ever. 2nd is NLDS Game One, 2016 with 564. NLDS Game Five, 2016 had 503 and this year’s World Series Game Two post had 502.

  7. I am going to watch the latest episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Mine has been a bit curbed tonight.

  8. Okay guys, time to wipe that game out with a Norwegian thriller. Night all. I will be helping my son with the kidlets tomorrow, then driving home with the game on the radio, so won’t be able to check in until later. Let’s win tomorrow!

  9. Anyone else hear about Guerriel making a racist gesture at Darvish after his HR? All over FB, but then, it is FB.

  10. Some good real life news: Special Counsel investigation will have the first arrest on Monday.

      • So I guess the good news is if the bats can play like vs. AZ or Chi, this can turn around REALLY fast..

  12. Sportsnet crew talking about Cody, and his need to take a walk like Springer, so he can reset like Springer.

  13. Link, what’s the record for posts in one game? I believe it was mid-to-late 500s.
    Like Belli’s fly in game two,looked like we would easily go beyond 600, but it shows 581 right now.

    • Do we give him credit or blame the bats?

      I liked him from the interview — he was stunned himself and said he was pumped up by the crowd’s reaction.

  16. Almost everything broke right for the Astros and almost nothing for the Dodgers. I get that talent wins out over luck or you make your own luck, but in the end it was a close game despite all the breaks. And so we have a good chance to win 1 or 2 in Houston still.

    • Agree, IF they start hitting.
      With 3 runs, they had only one RBI and that was on an out.
      Doc is going to earn his money with the next lineup and talking to the guys.
      I say Logan plays, not matter the matchup. Belli can’t be cleanup. Puig at least put the ball in play, but he’s keeping up with his playoff record being bad on the road.

    • The Astros had one inning….one…

      We had our chances in maybe 4? 5? We hit a few balls at people, not between them. It’s how the ball bounced last night.

      For all they did good, and all we did bad, we were in it to the end.

      Turner Ward needs to counsel each player and remind them to be patient and wait out the pitcher. Especially Seager.

  17. Okay, that was their first-ever WS win at home, following their first-ever-ever WS win.
    They can stop here.

  18. Either Peacock was really good . . . or Dodgers really bad, figuring that several of them saw him twice and still were soo ineffective.

  20. We win tomorrow and baseball life is good again. Hang in there, friends. See you all tomorrow.

  37. When I pitched — slow-pitch softball — I fielded the same way as Strip on that last . . . like a matador.

  39. Another true confession:
    Buck isn’t as irritating to me as he has been in the past. I’ve even appreciated him making educational comments for the uninitiated but without sounding as pompous as before. . . . That’s how I learned baseball strategy, from Vinny.

  40. The turning point in the Series for me was Puig-s almost-catch.
    At the time, did anyone think he should’ve played it on a hop to keep it to a single?
    I didn’t.

  42. 500 comments people — stay more awake than LA bats and we’ll have a new EF record!

  49. The young guys are looking young Corey, Cody, Joc.
    Live by the big swing and die by it.

  64. As if there aren’t enough frustrations, my laptop shut down by itself and is restarting. Thank goodness for smartphones!

    • That’s true. I was just wishing he was pitching in the 8th tonight. It probably would have meant things had been going better.

  98. Too bad they couldn’t have left LoFo in for that AB if they had known a WP was coming. Lol.

  103. Ugh. This is turning into a rough night – with baseball being the least of it. Had a text from a colleague giving me the heads up that another very respected and well like colleague was being let go. Which is not a good look for our organization right now. And then my wife just got off the phone to say that a neighbour is paralysed in hospital with a rare disease.

      • Gotta think they’re talking to him between ABs.
        He’s young. Hopefully he’ll grow with that. And have more playoff opportunities, including this WS.

          • I have to be honest — I think I was more nervous rooting for the Cubs last year.
            I don’t think I’ve matured and I haven’t increased my St. John’s wort dosage . . . maybe it’s because that experience being at Game 1 — especially the W — is still with me.

    • The one was Seager dinger, which should have been enough to be up 2-0, scepter pen collapsed.

  118. I played 1st and was run into standing up .. . broke my collarbone.
    Understandably, millions of fans weren’t holding their breath on me.

    • I give up. Two outs and another bad throw brings in another run. I hope we get really mad and rally good at the same time, right about now. We haven’t played like this since the long tumble in September.

  145. Buck isn’t giving up on the Dodgers . . . but their ratings depend on people sticking with it.

    • Kenta hasn’t, besides the lousy ball 4.
      Bats, on the other hand . . . not even hitting as hard as they did before.
      But if Kenta shuts them down again, they’re approaching 3rd go-round.

  161. Blip aside, great job by Kenta!
    For once, glad for the DH. Innings can be eaten by a good pitcher.
    But he won’t be available in other games . . . still, to paraphrase Paul Newman from “The Verdict,” — “This is the game, there is no other game.”

  164. Was ready to write that Kenta got 6 outs, but his last three pitches have been terrible.
    He still can get them.

  168. I’m wondering if JT is still hurting. Besides his 1-WS (tho a GREAT one!), he doesn’t look confident.
    Of course, I didn’t get to actually see the LDS or LCS, so don’t know his looks other than when he had a video-worthy hit.

  169. A couple more there would have been great. Not sure that Lance will be around much longer to try to beat up on.

  228. Can this be like the Chicago series where they homered to take the lead – and we won anyway?

    • I like it. When we are at bat it is .300 and in the field .700 and that equals 1.000!

  258. Understand that Fox is one pitch behind the field. So we will have future people tonight. Be good to us!

  260. McCullers – we are still coming for you. Some of those balls that were tattood will drop in tonight.

  271. Warning: My self-imposed restriction on second-guessing Roberts, from early in Game 2, has expired. I hope I do not need to use it.

    • Would have been happy with just two hits in game 2, if the pen had been able to hold.

      • True.
        But I doubt any of us will be happy if they don’t get substantially more than that each of these games.

  280. Just reading Word Series Game Three is knot-inducing. How am I going to make it through the game itself?

    • — and at least two more after that!
      But isn’t it great to have knots that mean something vs. just pulling for someone else?

  281. Wouldn’t it be great if Yu can take those two “almost” games a step further and get baseball immortality?
    But I will be ecstatic with a “W.”