Houston Astros Beat The Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 In Game 3 Of World Series

Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Gay/AP Eric Gay/AP

Updated 12:40 a.m. ET

The Houston Astros defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series at Minute Maid Park in Houston, taking the series lead with two wins over the Dodgers.

The Astros relied on early scoring and a gutsy relief effort by right-hander Brad Peacock who came in for starter Lance McCullers with one out in the sixth inning and held the Dodgers without a hit for 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four and surrendered a walk.

McCullers went 5 1/3 innings, giving up three runs and four hits for the win.

With their victory tonight, the Astros are 7-0 in their home park in this postseason.

Houston got on the score board first by opening the bottom of the second inning with a solo home run by first baseman Yuli Gurriel, followed by a double by right fielder Josh Reddick. Designated hitter Evan Gattis walked. A hard-hit single by left fielder Marwin Gonzalez scored Reddick. Catcher Brian McCann followed with another single, scoring Gattis and making the score 3-0. The Astros added a fourth run when third baseman Alex Bregman hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Gonzalez.

Enlarge this image toggle caption David J. Phillip/AP David J. Phillip/AP

Dodgers starter Yu Darvish was pulled for reliever Kenta Maeda after Astros second baseman Jose Altuve smoked a double to center field. Maeda managed to get the final out without further damage.

The Dodgers threatened to come back immediately in the top of the third after their first three batters earned walks. But they scored only one run when shortstop Corey Seager grounded into a double play.

The Astros added their fifth run in the bottom of the fifth inning after a single by Reddick, his second hit of the night. Gattis reached first base on an infield bouncer to Dodgers pitcher Tony Watson, whose wild throw to first allowed Reddick to score.

In their half of the sixth inning, the Dodgers scratched back by scoring two runs. Seager walked, followed by a double by third baseman Justin Turner. Seager scored on right fielder Yasiel Puig's ground out. Turner scored from third base on Peacock's wild pitch, making the score 5-3.

The Astros threatened to blow the game wide open in the bottom of the seventh inning. Gurriel lead off with a double to left field. An out later, Gattis was intentionally walked. Houston loaded the bases when McCann hit an infield single. But Dodger reliever Ross Stripling retired center fielder George Springer on a deep drive to center that left Houston fans holding their heads in dismay.

However, by the eighth inning, Peacock looked confident as he retired the last six Dodger batters in a row.

As ESPN's David Schoenfield reports, when the World Series is tied, the Game 3 winner goes on to win the whole thing 69 percent of the time.