Houston Astros are World Series champions, beating Los Angeles Dodgers
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Updated 12:01 a.m. ET
The Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in Game 7 of the World Series, winning their first championship crown in the team's 55-year history (and 56th season).
The Astros jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings and held on for the rest of the game watching the Dodgers squander multiple opportunities to score.
"We held down a really tough lineup," said Astros pitcher Charlie Morton, who pitched four innings in relief, giving up the Dodgers' only run. He struck out four batters, walked one and earned the win.
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The losing pitcher was the Dodgers' Yu Darvish, who lasted only 1 2/3 innings, giving up four runs.
Unlike other games in this best-of-seven series, which featured dramatic home runs and multiple lead changes, Game 7 was a relative sleeper.
The Astros got off to a fast start in the top of the first inning, taking a 2-0 lead on a leadoff double by center fielder George Springer. He scored when third baseman Alex Bregman was safe at second on a throwing error by Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger. Bregman then scored on second baseman Jose Altuve's RBI ground out.
The Dodgers responded immediately in the bottom of the first with their own leadoff double by center fielder Chris Taylor. An out later, third baseman Justin Turner was hit by a pitch from Astros starter Lance McCullers. With two runners on and two out, McCullers then hit right fielder Yasiel Puig, loading the bases. But LA didn't score.
In the top of the second, the Astros increased their lead, starting with a leadoff walk by catcher Brian McCann and double by left fielder Marwin Gonzalez. McCann scored on McCullers' RBI ground out, and then Springer homered to center. It was the fourth straight game in which he hit a home run. The Astros led 5-0.
The Dodgers put their leadoff hitter, Forsythe, on base with a single. And when pinch hitter Enrique Hernández was hit by yet another McCullers pitch, it looked like the Dodgers might strike. But Taylor hit into a double play, killing another opportunity to score.
In the bottom of the third, the Dodgers had two runners on and no outs after a single by shortstop Corey Seager and McCullers hit Turner for the second time. But for the third consecutive inning, the Dodgers came up empty.
In LA's half of the fifth, the Angelenos threatened yet again with a leadoff walk by Seager and a single by Turner. But Astros relievers Francisco Liriano and Chris Devenski snuffed out their chances.
Los Angeles finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Dodgers had runners on first and second with no outs, on a single by left fielder Joc Pederson and a walk by Forsythe. But they managed to get only one run, on a pinch-hit single by Andre Ethier.
By game's end, the Dodgers had left 10 runners on base.
The champion Astros never scored after the second inning, in part because Dodgers ace Clayton Kershawn was brought in as a reliever in the third inning and pitched four frames, giving up only two hits. Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.