Astros Crush The Dodgers In Game 7 Of World Series, Win World Series!
The Houston Astros won their first World Series by stomping the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-1, at Dodgers Stadium on Wednesday, November 1. The game was over before it began; Dodgers starting Pitcher YU Darvish was plain awful.
The lackluster pitching was a repeat of Darvish”s disastrous performance in Houston. Only lasting a mere 1 2/3 innings both outings, he surrendered all 5 runs before the second inning ended.
In this World Series, he allowed nine runs and recorded 10 outs, posting a 21.60 ERA with two walks, and the only two starts of his career with no strikeouts.
Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts made a tactical error by starting Darvish OVER Ace Clayton Kershaw, or Alex Wood. In addition, Roberts needed to pull Darvish sooner than he did. The offense didn’t show up, leaving whopping 10 runners (LOB) stranded in scoring position. While going 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position.
Yasiel Puig, Justin Turner, and Cody Bellinger closed out their Fall Classics by going a combined 1-for-9. Bellinger and Puig went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
The Dodgers 54,000 fans in attendance were inconsolable and devastated after waiting 29 years to win a World Series. World Series MVP Corey Springer opened Game 7 with a double down the third base line, his next at-bat would be the final nail in the coffin. A two-run homer extended the Astros lead 5-0.
Springer set records for home runs (five, tied), extra-base hits (eight) and total bases (29) in the World Series.
The Astros captured their first ever World Series title after 55 years as an organization. In 2014, Sports Illustrated ran a cover story with the ominous headline screaming: Your 2017 World Series Champions: The Houston Astros!
Darvish was just acquired before the trade deadline, he was supposed to be the final piece in order to win it all. Unfortunately, the Houston Astros have an explosive lineup, his cutter had no movement. Compounded with a fastball that lacked velocity or bites.
After his 2017 World Series, it appears doubtful he will be back next year.
What was Roberts thinking? The decision and rightful starter should have been one Clayton Kershaw. Instead, Roberts elected to use the best pitcher of this generation as a middle reliever!
Kershaw finally got the opportunity to pitch Game 7 of the World Series at Chavez Ravine, sadly, the Boys in Blue were unable to mount a rally plump enough to make up for a five-run deficit.
Kershaw still pitched incredibly on three days rest. Hurling four innings of scoreless balls, striking out four and giving up just two hits. Thirty-four of Kershaw’s 43 pitches went for strikes, and he helped re-energize the crowd and silence the Houston bats.
While it seems simple to suggest Kershaw would have done the exact same thing if he had in fact started, one, we will never know. Two, the Astros approach was entirely different once the onslaught was finished.
What-iffs, what-iffs all winter for the Dodgers. Still, it was a fantastic World Series to see and experience. The Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers made the 2017 World Series an unforgettable, thrilling ride filled with peaks and valleys.
It was the greatest Fall Classic in decades. The loss will only fuel the young Dodgers roster moving ahead, serving as motivation.
There is always next season!
