Astros even World Series with fightback over Dodgers in wildly dramatic Game 2

In a World Series game featuring a record eight home runs, George Springer’s proved to be the most decisive.



Springer’s two-run drive in the top of the 11th inning gave the Houston Astros their first World Series victory in team history, a 7-6 decision over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Wednesday night’s Game 2 in front of 54,293 at Dodger Stadium.

World Series 2017: Astros rally to beat Dodgers in dramatic Game 2 – live! Read more

“This is an instant classic,” Houston right-hander Justin Verlander said. “To be able to be part of it is pretty special.”

The Astros return to Houston for the next three games starting Friday night after tying the best-of-seven series at one win apiece.

“That’s an incredible game on so many levels, so many ranges of emotion,” Astros manager AJ Hinch said. “Getting this win was hard. If you like October baseball – if you like any kind of baseball – that’s one of the most incredible games you’ll ever be a part of.

“I feel like a record setter tonight, and I want to break my own record.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts agreed with Hinch’s assessment.

“It was an emotional roller coaster,” Roberts said. “Guys were playing hard on both sides. We just ran out of outs.”

Consider there had been only 17 extra-inning home runs in more than a century of World Series history entering Wednesday’s game. There were five in Game 2, including three in the 10th inning alone.

Springer and Carlos Correa each had three of the Astros’ 14 hits, with Correa, Jose Altuve and Marwin Gonzalez each contributing a homer. Chris Devenski earned the win in relief.

The Dodgers finished with just five hits but four were homers from Joc Pederson, Corey Seager, Yasiel Puig and Charlie Culberson. But Brandon McCarthy, Los Angeles’ eighth pitcher, took the loss.

With the score tied 5-5, Cameron Maybin began the top of the 11th against McCarthy by lining a single into center field and stealing second base. Then on a 2-1 count, Springer hit McCarthy’s 88mph slider into the right-field stands to put Houston ahead, 7-5.

“The at-bat by Cam was absolutely huge,” Springer said. “Him stealing second base made it easier for me. The goal for me was to get him to third base because we’ve got I believe the MVP of the league coming up in a hitter.”

Springer was alluding to Altuve, who was batting behind Alex Bregman, the hitter who was on-deck during Springer’s plate appearance.

“The way that Alex has been swinging the bat, I knew if I could get (Maybin) to third base, he would score,” Springer said. “I was fortunate to hit a ball well and get the job done.”

Springer’s home run culminated a late rally in which the Astros scored six runs in the final four innings.

Culberson’s solo homer with two out in the bottom of the 11th drew the Dodgers within one run. But Devenski struck out Puig to secure the victory.

“When that last out is made,” Springer said, “you finally breathe.”

Seager broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth. But the Astros rallied to tie the score against closer Kenley Jansen, who shared the National League’s lead in saves with 41.

Bregman began the top of the eighth with a double down the right-field line off reliever Brandon Morrow, who was immediately replaced by Jansen. One batter later, Correa brought Bregman home with a single up the middle.

Then in the ninth, Gonzalez lined Jansen’s 94 mph cutting fastball into the center-field stands to tie the score.

“We’re not here,” Hinch said, “if Marwin Gonzalez doesn’t hit a ball out to center field against the best closer in baseball.”

The Astros took a 5-3 lead in the top of the 10th when Altuve and Correa hit successive solo homers against reliever Josh Fields, who faced only three batters and did not record an out.

Puig’s solo home run in the bottom of the 10th against right-hander Ken Giles, the Astros’ closer, narrowed the margin to one run. But Houston was one strike away from winning when Los Angeles tied the score again.

Logan Forsythe walked, moved to second base on a wild pitch and came home on Kike Hernandez’s single, with Forsythe’s head-first slide beating catcher Brian McCann’s swipe tag. Hernandez went to second on the throw to home plate but Chris Taylor flied out to end the threat.

Houston took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning on Bregman’s RBI single. But Pederson tied the score in the bottom of the fifth with a solo homer – the Dodgers’ first hit – against Verlander.

Verlander retired the first nine Dodgers he faced, and 13 of the first 14. In his six innings, the right-hander conceded three runs on two hits – both of them home runs – along with two walks while compiling five strikeouts. Verlander’s fastball reached speeds of 98mph.

Before the game, Altuve received the American League’s Hank Aaron Award as its best offensive player. Altuve won the American League’s batting championship with a .346 average, led the league with 204 hits and added 24 home runs, 81 RBI, 39 doubles and 32 stolen bases.

Altuve received the award from Aaron and Commissioner Rob Manfred in a pre-game ceremony at home plate. The Miami Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton was the National League’s winner.