Photo courtesy of ESPN | Dodgers ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw delivered a masterful performance, tallying a win in Game 1. The Dodgers are trying to capture an elusive World Series that has escaped them for nearly the past three decades.
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Houston Astros last night in Game 1 of the World Series by a score of 3-1. Clayton Kershaw picked up the win, and Dallas Keuchel picked up the loss.
The game got started with a bang when Dodgers outfielder Chris Taylor drilled the first pitch he saw for a home run. The Astros struck back, with third basemen Alex Bregman hitting his own homer in the fourth inning.
It was a pitching duel, with Kershaw tying the single game World Series strikeout record with 11 punch outs. Keuchel was pitching well until the 6th, where he gave up a two-run home run to NLCS hero Justin Turner. The Astros were unable to answer, and Dodger closer Kenly Jansen was able to collect the save.
The Dodgers clinched their first World Series berth in 29 years after defeating the Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series four games to one. After losing to Chicago in the same series last year, the Dodgers took a commanding 3-0 lead heading into Game 4.
The Cubs were able to stave off elimination for one more game. The Dodgers struck back, defeating the Cubs 11-1 in Game 5. Dodgers outfielder Enrique Hernández tied the MLB record with three HRs and seven RBIs in a single post season game.
Clayton Kershaw also pitched well, holding the Cubs to three hits and one run across six innings. There were co-MVPs of the NLCS this year, with Taylor and Turner winning the honors.
The Astros clinched their first berth since 2005 in dramatic fashion, defeating the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series and winning 4-0. The Yankees, historically baseball’s winningest franchise with 27 World Series Championships, did not go down easily.
Down 2 games to none, the Yankees came back and won three games in a row at home to go up 3-2. However, thanks to a masterful performance in Game 6 by ALCS MVP Justin Verlander and the bat of regular season MVP candidate Jose Altuve, the Astros were able to make their second World Series appearance, their first since joining the American League.
Pitching will be the key to victory in this World Series. Both teams have aces who are widely considered the best of the generation.
Verlander and Kershaw have both had hugely successful careers that have resulted in multiple Cy Young awards and even one MVP win (Verlander), and countless runner-up performances in both categories.
Both pitchers have found mixed results when it comes to post-season results, as both players are looking for their first ring. Kershaw dazzled in Game 1 with 11 strikeouts and Verlander will get the ball in Game 2. How these two players perform will make or break their team’s chances at the title.
This is the first time since 1970 World Series that two 100 win teams will square off. Before this year, the Dodgers have made 18 appearances with six wins, while the Astros lost in 2005 to the Chicago White Sox. Game 2 is tomorrow at 8:09 p.m. in LA, with the Series going to Houston the next three games (if necessary) starting on Friday at 8:09 p.m.
By: Jack Dunn ~Staff Writer~