Wide World of Women

I thought Game 2 couldn't be topped. What a game! Probably one of the most entertaining fall classics in recent history, and although Houston has the momentum back, I can still see it going the distance.

With the series going back to LA, we go from seeing Nolan Ryan and Craig Biggio sitting behind home plate back to Larry King and Mary Hart sitting behind home plate. Houston's fate rests on the shoulders of Mr. Kate Upton. Don't make her sad!

Justin Verlander has something to prove. But we will see how long Rich Hill lasts in that dry heat.

This series has been so amazing to watch. Just when we all think one team has a 4 run lead, it is gone in almost an instant. What drama, what thrilling action we have been treated to thus far.

Huge failure by Kershaw in the biggest game of his life.
$35 million a year doesn’t buy what it used to, I guess

Some fun facts:

An Astros win will mark the fourth straight year that a team clinched the World Series on the road. It will also crown a first time champion for the first time since 2002 (Angels).

If the Dodgers win tomorrow, it will be the 39th best-of-seven Series to reach the max, and the third in four years.

If the Astros win Game Seven, it will be the road team's third straight victory in WSG7s, with the streak beginning in 2014 (Giants) and coming after no such road wins after 1979.

An Astros win will give the American League only its third World Championship in this decade (2013 and 2015 are the others).

An Astros win will also mark the second straight year that a team won the World Series after losing Game One; the Cubs did this last year. It will also mark the second straight year that the team who had home field advantage lost the Series.

This is the first time the National League has homefield advantage in the World Series since 2012 (Giants). The last time the NL won the World Series with homefield advantage was 2011 (Cardinals).

An Astros win tomorrow or Wednesday will give the AL West its first championship since 2002. A Dodgers win in both games will the NL West its fourth championship in this decade (Giants in the other three), after winning only one in the previous decade (Diamondbacks in 2001).

Though it won't happen even with an Astros win, the last time the American League won back-to-back World Series was 2004 and 2005 (Red Sox and White Sox).

Dodgers 3, Astros 1

Behind stellar pitching and timely hits (including another Joc Pedersen HR), Dodgers force Game Seven.

Chris Taylor had that huge RBI double in the sixth to tie the game, and Corey Seager untied it with another home run in the 7th--before Joc Pederson provided some needed insurance.

Rich Hill tried his best to match Justin Verlander, who was really dealing early and often--until the second time around in the batting order.

Another well played game once again. And so, we have reached the most magical words in sports: Game Seven.

And yes, Houston starter Lance McCullers began warming up in right field moments after the game ended. Kevin Burkhardt and most of the Fox Sports crew were just aghast down the third base line during the start of their post-game show.

Los Angeles will counter with Yu Darvish to start, and Clayton Kershaw more than likely the first option out of the bullpen.
And for the first time ever, Dodger Stadium will play host to a World Series Game Seven.

Definitely treats all the way on this Halloween night.

Boy, I'll never be more of an AL fan than I will be tonight. It was refreshing to see a pitcher's duel after the previous game's slugfest. The only bad thing about CK getting shelled means that he'll still have bullets for the all-hands-on-deck Game 7. And believe me, every string will be pulled with the season on the line. It never fails to amaze me how each World Series team has played over 170 games and yet everything will boil down to just one more.

Only a handful of teams won Game 7 on the road. Prior to the Cubs winning that dramatic 10 inning game in Cleveland (with the rain delay on top of the drama that kept building all night), the other times we had a road team win a Game 7 included:

- 1979 and again in 1971, Pittsburgh at Baltimore
- 1975, Cincinnati at Boston
- 1972, Oakland at Cincinnati
- 1968, Detroit at St. Louis
- 1965, Los Angeles at Minnesota

Some Game Seven/November baseball fun facts:

This is the 39th best-of-seven World Series to go the max, and the third in four years.

This is the fourth World Series in this decade to go the max; only two went seven in the last decade (2001 and 2002).

2001 and 2002 was also the last time that back-to-back Series went seven.

Surprisingly, the home/road record in WSG7s is even: 19-19. The last two WSG7s were won by the road team (2014 Giants & 2016 Cubs).

The record between the leagues isn't so even: National 23, American 15. The National League has won three straight WSG7s, and five of the last six. The American League hasn't won a WSG7 since 2002 (Angels).

This is the first ever WSG7 to take place in Dodger Stadium. Overall, it's the first such game for the Dodgers since 1965 (a 2-0 win over the Twins).

The first WSG7 took place in 1909 (Pirates winning 8-0 over the Tigers in Detroit).

The Yankees have played in 11 WSG7s. Our record: 5-6.

Only five WSG7s have reached extra innings: 1912 (Red Sox in 10), 1924 (Senators in 12; most innings in such a game), 1991 (Twins in 10), 1997 (Marlins in 11), and 2016 (Cubs in 10).

Tonight's game is the 11th November game in MLB history. It also marks the third straight Series to reach November.

The Dodgers and Astros are the 10th and 11th teams in MLB history to play a November game.

The Yankees have the most November experience; having played six games in the 11th month. Our record: 3-3.

The latest calendar date that a World Series has ended is November 4 (Diamondbacks/Yankees G7 & Yankees/Phillies G6).

Road teams are 6-4 in November, including four straight wins. The last home win was November 4, 2009, when the Yankees clinched #27.

Technically, the first November HR in MLB history was Derek Jeter's walk-off after midnight EST on November 1, 2001.

Derek Jeter "Mr. November"

Reggie Jackson "Mr. October"

Joe DiMaggio "Mr. Coffee"

Yuli Gurriel "Mr. Race Relations"

I am amazed at how well the Astros have been playing. Granted they are AL champions, but they have generally been hitting a very strong and deep Dodger rotation.

Both teams deserve to win the Series. As we know, only one of them can.

Astros 5, Dodgers 1

The Houston Astros win their very first World Championship in franchise history; with all five runs coming early in the game.

Houston took full advantage right away and the crowd was pretty much silent from the first inning on.

Two batters in, a George Springer double led things off followed up by an error by Cody Bellinger plated in the first run. Then, George Springer sealed his World Series MVP honors homering again in the second. His fifth overall Series home run tied current Dodger and former Phillies great Chase Utley in 2009 and "Mr. October", Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson who first turned the trick way back in 1977 for the Yankees.

That was all the Astros needed to erase all of those years of frustration and yes,
there was one SI cover back in late June 2014 that finally came up with an accurate prediction.

Four years in a row the World Series was won by the road team, including the last three times it went the full seven games.

No jinx here:



I bet that issue is going to go for at least 5 or 6 figures on eBay.

2 days ago this was being talked about as 1 of the greatest World Series ever.
Now, not so much.

Games 2 and 5 were certainly epic. History will tell how this series stands among others.

Congratulations to the Houston Astros!
I was mentally preparing myself in case that didn't happen, but another shaky start from Yu Darvish almost guaranteed Houston's victory. I say almost, because the previously mentioned games proved that no lead was safe. Well fought by all involved, but the better team won. (Although my particular opinion of who was the "better" team may be a tad bit biased...)

Also, the next issue of Sports Illustrated may look a little familiar...

For many years when Sports Illustrated received a lot of flack for producing covers that jinxed either the athletes themselves or the games after the fact, this is one particular instance they managed to get right.

Such a shame for me and other subscribers who recycled that June 2014 issue. Many people could have gotten lots of money on it if you posted it on eBay.

As for the Series itself, it will probably rank below 2016 as one of the greatest of all-time. There wasn't much in terms of drama after the first two innings, since Yu Darvish for the second straight start had his shortest outing of his career.

Although Clayton Kershaw was still Clayton Kershaw, it was not enough. Only an Andre Ethier pinch hit single to right field in the sixth was the only time a goose egg did not go up on the Dodgers side of the ledger.

Dodgers should have used a three man rotation in the Series and put Yu in the pen, so Kershaw could have pitched Games One, Four, and Seven.