NEWSLETTER
So, because The Wife had been out of town since Saturday and I’ve been solo with the periodically-sleepless kiddos overnight, my sleep has been limited and crummy. Thus, when she got back last night at 11 pm, I bolted for my bed and passed out without regard for what was going on in the World Series.
I am pleased that I got to see up to the 9th inning when former Cubs farmhand Marwin Gonzalez (lost in the Rule 5 Draft many moons ago) hit a game-tying homer off of Kenley Jansen, but that was it for me.
Turns out I missed a bonkers set of extra innings that’ll leave this World Series game as one that people remember for a long time (MLB.com):
Those five extra-innings homers are a new postseason record. Also, that was the first time Jansen has blown a save in the postseason after converting 12 straight in his career, also an MLB record. As you can see, the Astros ultimately hung on to win 7-6 in 11 innings.
Losing Game One starter Dallas Keuchel was apparently displeased with Charlie Culberson showing a ton of excitement about his 11th inning homer that brought the Dodgers to within a run:
Dallas Keuchel: "Culberson acted like he won the World Series."
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) October 26, 2017
I mean, it was a Yasiel Puig in the 10th inning that brought the Dodgers to within a run before they tied it, so it’s not like Culberson didn’t have recent precedent for getting pumped about that kind of homer. Yes, it looks a little silly when you think about the fact that they still trailed, but come on. Let the dude be excited.
Contrast that with Puig’s thoughts on Carlos Correa’s massive bat flip in the 10th inning – remember, this is in a game the Dodgers *lost* – and I don’t ever want to hear again about Puig being a jerk who doesn’t get it:
Here's Yasiel Puig's full quote on Carlos Correa's bat flip: pic.twitter.com/atF3iXbe3y
— Joshua Thornton (@JoshuaThornton_) October 26, 2017
I also find it strange that people are using Puig’s Ted Lilly-esque glove slam against him:
Puig mad. pic.twitter.com/C6dOsPsrlC
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) October 26, 2017
He saw that the ball went out of play before he slammed the glove, so there’s no issue there. And he was really angry in the moment because he felt like he should have made that (incredible) catch. What’s the problem here? Funny thing is, I thought he was being too hard on himself after the play – they still had a two-run lead and Kenley freaking Jansen on the mound – but if he makes that catch, the Dodgers very likely win the game.
In any case, he did not make the catch, and the Astros did go on to come back and win a thriller. It was hard to even remember the part where Rich Hill pitched only four innings (allowing one run) and threw only 60 pitches before being pulled. It’s hard to call that a mistake given the Dodgers’ bullpen and the fact that they had Brandon Morrow and Kenley Jansen in place to finish things out in the 8th and 9th innings with a two-run lead.
But, naturally, the nails Dodgers bullpen allowed six runs in this one after allowing ZERO runs against the Cubs in the five games of the NLCS.
Today is an off-day, and then the series moves to Houston for Game Three on Friday night at 7pm CT. Yu Darvish will face Lance McCullers.
