Astros Defeat Dodgers to Win 2017 World Series
After a seven game series that played out like film drama, the Houston Astros came out on top of the Dodgers to win the 2017 World Series.
Fans at Dodger Stadium were all riled up at the start of the seventh and final game of the Fall Classic.
The Dodgers were playing for their first championship since 1988 while the Astros were aiming for their first ever.
It didn’t take long for the scoring to get going, the Houston Astros were able to dial up a couple of runs in the top of the first inning thanks to eventual World Series MVP George Springer.
Just three pitches into the game, Springer found himself on second base after getting a double off the Dodgers’ Yu Darvish.
Springer went on to score on an error, and second baseman Jose Altuve batted in another run before the inning was over.
In the second inning, the Astros scored another run and got another batter on base in time for Springer’s next at-bat.
Springer delivered again. He was able to get a hold of another Darvish pitch and smacked it into the outfield at Dodger Stadium, giving his team a 5-0 lead.
Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts finally decided to take Darvish out of the game after Springer’s home run, but too much damage had already been done.
Robert’s used everything he can to stop the Astros from scoring again. He inserted arguably the best pitcher in baseball, Clayton Kershaw, in the third inning and closer Kenley Jansen in the seventh.
Kershaw and Jansen both did their parts, but the Dodgers’ bats failed to make any noise. They were unable to capitalize on loaded bases early on in the ball game and it proved to be costly.
The Dodgers were only able to score a single run in the game. Outfielder Andre Ethier drove in Joc Pederson for LA’s only run.
The Astros’ 5-1 game seven victory gave them their first World Series win ever, and they did for a city that was wrecked by Hurricane Harvey a few months ago.
Astros’ team owner Jim Crane dedicated the win to all the Hurricane fighters in Houston in the postgame World Series trophy ceremony.
“This one’s for Houston back there at home,” Crane said to a mostly empty Dodger Stadium crowd. “Everyone was behind us and the guys picked up on it.”
World Series MVP George Springer definitely deserved the award. His eight extra-base hits were the most in World Series history.
Springer’s five home runs in the Series is now tied for the record, and his 29 total bases were the most in any postseason series, ever.
The Los Angeles Dodgers will now head into next season with a sour taste in their mouth. They were at home for the last game of the World Series and were unable to pull a win through.
Sure, the Dodgers were defeated by the Astros this World Series, but Los Angeles is already the favorite to win next year’s, at least according to one Las Vegas sportsbook.
2018’s World Series is a long way from now, though, and the Houston Astros will be the world champions until then.