The Houston Astros pulled the MLB betting upset against the Los Angeles Dodgers and tied the World Series 1-1. It took Houston, mind you, 11 innings and four late-game home runs to give Los Angeles their first loss when leading after eight frames of the entire 2017 season. The ‘Stros will strive to keep the momentum going now that the series has shifted to Minute Maid Park, while the Dodgers will “go to their place and battle,’ said Kenley Jansen.
RECAP: #Dodgers hit four home runs but lose a wild one to Astros in 11 innings to even the #WorldSeries at 1.
🔗: https://t.co/HMcrRjMaIh pic.twitter.com/pEa0pBa1ID
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 26, 2017
- Date: Friday, 27th October
- Time: 8:05 PM
- Venue: Minute Maid Park
- Sportsbook odds for fans who bet on baseball:
Dodgers +1½ (-210) 8½ (EV) EV
Astros -1½ (+175) 8½ (-120) -110
When Yu Darvish upon a star
The Dodgers hoped, when they acquired Yu Darvish (RHP, 10-12, 3.86 ERA, 209 K) in the 11th hour before the non-waiver trade deadline, that the Japanese would become the Iolaus’s to Clayton Kershaw’s Heracles, and Yu has delivered, striking out 14 and surrendering just two runs in two starts in the postseason, with a 1.59 ERA in 11 1/3 innings. Darvish is well acquainted, been a Texas Ranger for six seasons, with the Astros, but this will be his first World Series outing. LA is 4-1 in Darvish’s last five starts, during which period he has allowed only three earned runs in 30.2 innings, and 5-2 in his last seven road starts. The Dodgers hit four home runs of their own in game 2, which allowed the MLB betting total to go over. The effort was ultimately to no avail, but manager Dave Roberts is confident that his team will not get hung up on the tough loss. “We’ve got a very resilient group,” Roberts said. “A lot of guys that have been around a long time. We’ll be ready to go.”
Astros continue making history
The 2017 Houston Astros posted the franchise’s first 100-win since 1998, won their first pennant since moving to the American League, and on Wednesday, won their first World Series game ever. “The home start, coming home, and having Lance McCullers go,” manager AJ Hinch said, “there is going to be a ton of energy in the building.” McCullers (RHP, 7-4, 4.25 ERA, 132 K) allowed the Yankees one run on three hits and struck out in 10 innings in the American League Championship Series, but his tour de force was his run-free four-inning save of the Astros in the ALCS game 7, in which he struck out six and walked one. It’s not hard to see why Houston is the MLB betting favourite on Friday; the home team has won 24 of 33 postseason games contested this October. The Astros themselves are 6-0 at home in the playoffs, thus illustrating that point (as well as illustrating a rare exception on Wednesday). “It’s very important for us going to Houston 1-1,” second baseman Jose Altuve said. “There’s nothing guaranteed out there, but we’ve got to go out there and make it happen.” Make it happen? We’ve seen that written on a wall somewhere; hopefully it’ll be less of a platitude for the Astros.