A perfect fit in their own place, the Houston Astros are halfway home.
George Springer and the Astros broke out the bats early this time to keep up their unbeaten month at spirited Minute Maid Park, Texas, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 on Friday night for a 2-1 lead in the World Series.
“We’re very comfortable here,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said.
Photo: AFP
Houston moved two wins from its first championship.
The ballpark was booming hours earlier, with cheers, chants and a train whistle echoing beneath the closed roof.
Deep in the heart of football country, a sellout crowd stood much of the evening. And with every Houston batter getting a hit or walk, fans enjoyed the Friday night sights.
“The energy in the building is second to none,” Hinch said. “It’s loud. They’re loud from the very beginning.”
Coming off a dramatic rally to win Game 2 at Dodger Stadium in California, the Astros improved to 7-0 at home this postseason. Jose Altuve and teammates have dominated, outscoring the Red Sox, Yankees and Dodgers 36-10 in that span.
Gurriel homered to begin a four-run burst in the second inning that sent Darvish to the shortest start of his career.
Astros curveballer Lance McCullers Jr. wobbled, but protected the lead into the sixth.
Brad Peacock rose to the occasion with three 2/3 innings of hit less relief for his first pro save.
With every pitch by Peacock in the ninth, the decibel level increased.
“To tell you the truth, when I was out there a couple of times, I got the chills from them screaming so loud,” he said.
Springer lined a leadoff double in the first and the Astros went on to win a home game for the first time in the World Series. They were swept by the White Sox in 2005, and this win left them two victories from a most elusive championship.
“Obviously, this crowd is into it. Very educated, very enthusiastic,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “They’ve got some confidence over there, that team.”
McCullers left in the sixth as Los Angeles scored twice to cut into a 5-1 deficit.
Peacock followed, shouldering the load for a shaky bullpen. The right-hander was nearly perfect, walking one and striking out four.
“It was awesome,” said Peacock, who made 21 starts and 13 relief appearances during the regular season. “I’ve never experienced anything like that in my life.”
Coupled with four shutout innings from McCullers to finish off the Yankees in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series, the unconventional Astros became the first team to have two saves of three-plus innings in one postseason.
On a night when a lot went right for Houston, also credit third base coach Gary Pettis, who has been having quite a postseason.
He boldly sent Josh Reddick careening home on a wild throw by reliever Tony Watson for a two-out run in the fifth.
The Astros rode the momentum of a thrilling victory on Wednesday night in Los Angeles, where Marwin Gonzalez hit a tying homer in the ninth on an 0-2 pitch from star closer Kenley Jansen, and Houston went deep three times in extra innings before hanging on to win 7-6 in 11 on Springer’s two-run shot.
Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger almost won that game with a drive that was caught on the warning track in the ninth.
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