World Series 2017: How the Astros Won Game 5, Inning by Inning

No lead was safe in a raucous Game 5 of the World Series on Sunday, but the Houston Astros had the advantage of batting last. After nine innings filled with lead changes, the home team put one last run on the board in the 10th to beat the visiting Dodgers, 13-12.

Facing Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen, Alex Bregman drove in the winning run on a line drive to left field, ending an incredible offensive run for both teams.

The teams will now head back to Los Angeles with the Astros holding a three games to two lead in the best-of-seven series. Here are our takeaways from Game 5:

■ Houston’s offense was one of the most efficient in baseball history this season, and they finally looked like it in this marathon game, with their Nos. 1 through 5 hitters combining to go 13 for 23 with four home runs and 12 R.B.I. It may be shortly lived, as the team has not hit nearly as well on the road.

■ The teams have combined for 22 home runs in the World Series, breaking the Series record that had been set by the Anaheim Angels and San Francisco Giants in 2002. The Astros have also tied the Giants of that year for the most by a single team with 14.

■ Dave Roberts had been riding his relievers hard all postseason, and they seem to have nothing left. Brandon Morrow, who has appeared in a Dodgers’ record 12 postseason games already, including all five World Series games, had nothing left to give Sunday. He allowed a pair of home runs in a disastrous outing in which he allowed four earned runs without recording an out. Closer Kenley Jansen, who pitched for the fourth time in the World Series and the 11th time in the playoffs, kept things together for five outs but then fell apart with a hit-by-pitch, a walk and then the walk-off single.

■ A.J. Hinch followed through on his promise not to use his team’s struggling closer, Ken Giles, in a high-leverage situation, but the result was roughly the same despite the team coming away with a win. Chris Devenski, who pitched the ninth inning in what would typically be Giles’s assignment, surrendered what had been a three-run lead. Joe Musgrove earned the victory with a scoreless 10th inning, thus becoming the only Astros reliever to record more than one out in the game without allowing a run.

Logan Forsythe was safe at second base after a botched pickoff attempt in the top of the first inning. Credit Tyler Smith/European Pressphoto Agency Top 1st: Dodgers get to Keuchel early ... again.

Houston’s top starter gave up a leadoff single to Chris Taylor and then with one out, he issued back-to-back walks to Justin Turner and Kike Hernandez. He struck out Cody Bellinger, but Logan Forsythe laced a two-out single to left that brought in two runs.

An inning where the control artist Keuchel could not find the strike zone got even weirder when Forsythe left too soon on a stolen base attempt and Keuchel threw to first to try to pick him off. Forsythe was caught between bases and Yulieski Gurriel threw wildly to Jose Altuve at second. As Altuve struggled to get the ball and then get back to the bag to tag Forsythe, Hernandez raced in from third to score, increasing Houston’s lead to 3-0. The call was challenged by Houston but was upheld.

Keuchel got out of the inning when Yasiel Puig hit a dribbler in front of the plate and was thrown out at first by Brian McCann, but at that point he had already spotted baseball’s best pitcher a three-run lead and had thrown 32 pitches.

Clayton Kershaw answered Dallas Keuchel’s hectic first inning with an incredibly quiet one on his end. He needed just two pitches to retire George Springer on a grounder to third. Alex Bregman popped out to center and then Jose Altuve struck out on a slider that went through the heart of the strike zone to end the inning.

As reported on the broadcast, Kershaw’s career record in games in which he is spotted a three-run lead is 124-19.

Waldstein: The Astros have some work to do offensively after an uncharacteristically sloppy top of the first. Two walks and two hits given up by Keuchel, a muffed ball by left fielder Marwin Gonzalez and a terrible throw to second base by Yuli Gurriel combined to hand the Dodgers three runs. Is this really the Astros? This team can catch it and throw it, as old-timey baseball folks like to say, and Keuchel’s lack of command was puzzling, too. Tall order to have to score three runs against Kershaw, but the sliver lining of falling behind early is that they have nine innings to work with ... make that eight. Astros go down in order in the first.

Starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel didn’t make it out of the fourth inning on Sunday. Credit Thomas Shea/USA Today Sports, via Reuters Top 2nd: Keuchel finds the strike zone.

The real Dallas Keuchel showed up for the second inning, as he needed just 13 pitches to deal with the bottom of the Dodgers’ order. Keuchel ran the count full against Austin Barnes but eventually got the catcher to fly out to right. Charlie Culberson grounded out to short, and Chris Taylor grounded out to third to end the inning.

Another 1-2-3 inning for Clayton Kersaw. The Dodgers’ ace induced a grounder to first from Carlos Correa, got Yulieski Gurriel to pop out to first, and then finished things off by getting Josh Reddick to fly out to center. He has thrown 24 pitches to Dallas Keuchel’s 45.

The Dodgers had no answer for Dallas Keuchel in the third. Corey Seager grounded out to first, Justin Turner flew out to Jose Altuve in short right field and Kike Hernandez hit a comebacker to Keuchel for the final out of the inning.

Thirteen consecutive batters have been retired between the two pitchers since Logan Forsythe’s two-run single in the first.

Waldstein: Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated reported that some of the pitchers have complained that the leather on the baseballs in this World Series is slicker than it was during the regular season, making it hard to throw certain pitches, especially sliders. Baseball denies there is a difference, but the balls have been at issue all year, with many pitchers complaining they are juiced and travel farther than normal.

Dodgers second baseman Charlie Culberson turned a double play in the third inning. Credit Christian Petersen/Getty Images Bottom 3rd: Astros get a hit, but Kershaw closes the door.

The Astros finally got a hit off Clayton Kershaw when Evan Gattis lined a single to center, but the momentum was short-lived as Marwin Gonzalez grounded into a double-play. With two outs, Brian McCann grounded out weekly to second to end the inning.

Austin Barnes hit an RBI single in the fourth inning. Credit David J. Phillip/Associated Press Top 4th: Keuchel is done after Dodgers add an insurance run.

Dallas Keuchel had two outs and a runner on second, having settled into a quiet pitchers’ duel with Clayton Kershaw after a rough top of the first inning. But Austin Barnes, perhaps the Dodgers’ worst hitter, singled on a liner to left which brought Logan Forsythe home from second, extending the Los Angeles lead to 4-0. Charlie Culberson got an infield single, and A.J. Hinch decided enough was enough, pulling his starter from the game after he recorded just 11 outs.

Luke Gregerson came on in relief and struck out Chris Taylor on a checked swing to end the inning.

With Keuchel’s day officially over, his final line was 3 2/3 innings, five hits and four runs (three earned). He struck out four and walked two.

Waldstein: When you have Keuchel on the mound and have to get Gregerson up in the fourth inning, you know things aren’t going well. Keuchel threw 86 pitches. Maybe if there is a Game 7 he can toss an inning or two in relief, if it ever gets there.

Yuli Gurriel, center, celebrated his fourth inning three run home run with Jose Altuve, left, and Carlos Correa. Credit Christian Petersen/Getty Images Bottom 4th: Gurriel’s blast ties the game, 4-4.

Clayton Kershaw cruised through three innings, but he started the fourth with a walk to George Springer. He was able to retire Alex Bregman on a fly to left, but then Jose Altuve singled, Carlos Correa doubled and Yulieski Gurriel hit a three-run homer and suddenly the Astros and Dodgers were tied, 4-4.

Kershaw settled down to retire Josh Reddick on a pop-out to first, and got out of the inning when Evan Gattis flew out to left.

Gurriel’s home run is especially intriguing after Commissioner Rob Manfred’s decision to suspend him for a racist gesture he made in the dugout in Game 3. The suspension could have gone into effect immediately, which would have kept him out of this game, but Manfred decided to have him remain eligible for the World Series and have his suspension start at the beginning of the 2018 season.

Waldstein: Many people, especially Dodger fans, were arguing that Yuli Gurriel should have been suspended for one World Series game for his racist gesture on the bench in Game 3, instead of five regular season games next year. He did nothing in Game 4, but in Game 5 he came through with the hit of the series so far, smashing a Kershaw slider over the plate. The ball hit the signs over the seats in the left field bleachers.

Cody Bellinger celebrated his three-run home run in the fifth inning. Credit Matt Slocum/Associated Press Top 5th: Bellinger’s blast puts the Dodgers back on top.

Collin McHugh replaced Luke Gregerson to start the inning, and the counterintuitive move to use a reliever who has barely pitched in the postseason backfired as he allowed two walks and then gave up a three-run home run to Cody Bellinger that gave Los Angeles a 7-4 lead.

McHugh, who started 12 games for Houston during the regular season, had just one previous appearance in this year’s postseason. He pitched four shutout innings in the Astros’ Game 3 loss to the Yankees in the A.L.C.S.

McHugh recovered from Bellinger’s blast to retire Logan Forsythe on a fly to right and ended the half-inning by striking out Yasiel Puig on a high fastball that the slugging outfielder simply waved at.

Waldstein: Biggest no-nos in pitching: Don’t walk the leadoff batter in an inning and don’t give back a lead after your batters have worked to tie a game or go ahead. McHugh did it all and the Houston fans are quiet and depressed again.

Clayton Kershaw was pulled in the fifth inning. Credit Jamie Squire/Getty Images Bottom 5th: Astros chase Kershaw, then Altuve ties the game.

The fifth inning finally ended, but not before the Houston Astros tied the game at 7-7. Clayton Kershaw was pulled from the game with two men on and two out, but Kenta Maeda, one of the Dodgers’ top relievers, could not get the job done, allowing Jose Altuve to crush a three-run homer to center.

Maeda followed up the home by run giving up a single to Carlos Correa — with Correa advancing to second on a bad throw — but got out of the inning when Yulieski Gurriel grounded out to short.

Kershaw’s final line for the night was 4 2/3 innings, four hits and six earned runs. He struck out two and walked one.

Jose Altuve hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning to tie the score at 7-7. Credit Tannen Maury/European Pressphoto Agency Waldstein: It’s hard to adequately describe the complete energy shifts that have taken place in this building, first with Gurriel’s 3-run homer, then Bellinger’s 3-run homer dampening it down, and then Altuve’s reigniting the thunderous cheers.

The fans were chanting M.V.P. with a deep, throaty insistence, and Altuve put everything he had into one mighty swing from his diminutive body. The ball went about 450 feet down the left field line, but foul. Then, on the next pitch from Kenta Maeda, Altuve straightened it out. Swinging as hard as he could again, he blasted the ball about as high as it was long and the fans, led by base runner George Springer with his arms aloft, erupted.

Quite a buzz in here now. Everyone knows they are witnessing a remarkable game in a fun World Series.

Collin McHugh got bailed out after allowing three runs in the fifth inning, and he responded to that support by working around a one-out walk in a scoreless inning. He finished off the frame by freezing Corey Seager on a 90 mile-per-hour fastball on the outside corner for strike three.

Waldstein: This time, Collin McHugh doesn’t hand back the lead, so better job by him. It’s funny, as colleague Billy Witz noted, when Charlie Morton and Alex Wood squared off in Game 4, it was a shutout pitching duel through five, and when the Cy Young Award winners Clayton Kershaw and Dallas Keuchel take the mound for Game 5, there are two touchdowns on the board after five innings.

The chess game of relievers continues. Kenta Maeda had Josh Reddick flailing at strike three to start the half-inning, but he walked Evan Gattis so Dave Roberts chose to pull him. The move to Tony Watson made Marwin Gonzalez bat right-handed, and that proved beneficial as Gonzalez, who is a much better left-handed hitter, flew out to right. Brian McCann then grounded a ball right into the shift for the third out of the inning.

Kike Hernandez celebrated after scoring in the seventh inning, putting the Dodgers ahead 8-7. Credit Christian Petersen/Getty Images Top 7th: Bellinger puts the Dodgers on top again.

Brad Peacock, who was the anchor of Houston’s bullpen in Game 3, was out to start the seventh even though Manager A.J. Hinch had intended to give him the day off. The right-hander started off poorly, allowing Justin Turner to rap a double off the center field wall, but he showed some defensive versatility by fielding a sacrifice bunt attempt from Kike Hernandez and wheeling around to throw Turner out at third.

The good fortune did not last. The next batter was Cody Bellinger and the rookie lined a ball up the middle that a diving George Springer could not come up with. Hernandez scored from first and Bellinger ended up with a stand-up triple.

With one run in and one out, Peacock got a called strike three against Logan Forsythe and then got out of the inning when Yasiel Puig flew out to left.

Waldstein: There was a lot to digest in the top of the 7th. First of all, why would the Dodgers have Enrique Hernandez, batting fourth, drop down a bunt in the seventh inning of a game where runs are coming in bunches? He put down a terrible bunt and Brad Peacock, without hesitation, spun and fired to third base to get Justin Turner easily. But the Astros go from crisp defense to a really bad blunder when George Springer lets a sinking liner get behind him for a run-scoring triple by Cody Bellinger (scoring Hernandez from first). If Springer played that ball on a hop, the Dodgers are at first and second with out and a double play ball gets them out of the inning. It’s doubtful this game will end with this score, anyway.

Carlos Correa after hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning that made it 11-8. Credit David J. Phillip/Associated Press Bottom 7th: Astros lead after Springer and Correa go long.

Brandon Morrow had been a reliable reliever for the Dodgers all postseason, but pitching on a third consecutive day for the first time in his career, the right-hander Morrow allowed a deep home run to George Springer on his first pitch of the game, gave up a single to Alex Bregman on his second pitch, and then watched as Jose Altuve’s long fly ball sailed over Joc Pederson’s head for a double, allowing Bregman to score. He threw a wild pitch to Carlos Correa, which allowed Altuve to get to third, and then Correa made that irrelevant by crushing a 96 mile-per-hour sinker over the wall in left for a two-run homer.

Now trailing 11-8, Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts came out to the mound to replace Morrow with Tony Cingrani, who stopped the bleeding by getting three quick outs, including strikeouts of Yulieski Gurriel and Josh Reddick.

Waldstein: Coming into the game, both teams had 20 home runs in the postseason. The Dodgers now have 21 and Houston has 24. The record for one postseason is 27 by the 2002 San Francisco Giants. The ’04 Astros hit 25. These teams have also combined for 20 home runs in the World Series, and 14 of those have either tied the game or produced a lead. The record for most home runs in a World Series is 21, set in 2002 with Barry Bonds’s Giants and the champion Angels.

Marwin Gonzalez couldn’t catch Joc Pederson’s double in the eighth inning. Credit Eric Gay/Associated Press Top 8th: Dodgers get one back.

The Astros used three relievers in the inning to face six batters, and while they allowed a run on a double by Corey Seager, they kept Houston on top 11-9.

Houston will try to get a few insurance runs in the bottom of the 8th inning, but it is a mystery how the team will handle the top of the 9th since A.J. Hinch said before the game that he would not use his closer, Ken Giles, in a save situation.

Brian McCann hit a solo home run in the eighth inning. Credit Troy Taormina/USA Today Sports, via Reuters Bottom 8th: McCann stretches Astros’ lead to 12-9.

Considering the state of the team’s bullpen, Houston needed some insurance, and they got it when Brian McCann hit a solo homer that stretched the team’s lead to 12-9. That was all they got as Ross Stripling came in for the Dodgers to settle things down.

Houston is now three outs away from going back to Los Angeles with a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Yasiel Puig hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning and brought the Dodgers to within one run of the Astros. Credit Christian Petersen/Getty Images Top 9th: Puig homers as Dodgers tie the game again.

The Astros stayed away from Ken Giles, and instead had Chris Devenski come out for the ninth after he’d recorded one out in the eighth. It did not work out as Devenski allowed three runs to send this game to the bottom of the ninth tied 12-12.

Devenski walked Cody Bellinger, struck out Logan Forsythe, and then allowed a one-handed home run to Yasiel Puig that cut the deficit to 12-11. Austin Barnes made things interesting with a double, but Joc Pederson grounded out to short which brought up Chris Taylor. Taylor got into a 2-2 count, but he stayed alive and singled to center, scoring Barnes.

Corey Seager flied out to center to end the inning, but the Dodgers have come back from their third deficit of three or more runs in one game.

Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless half-inning, though Yulieski Gurriel made him sweat on a two-out double to center that caromed off the wall before falling onto the warning track. Jansen was able to erase the threat by retiring Josh Reddick on a fly ball that fell into Andre Ethier’s glove for the third out of the inning.

Fans cheered at Minute Maid Park late in the game. Credit Christian Petersen/Getty Images Top 10th: Musgrove holds Dodgers to one base runner.

Joe Musgrove became the seventh pitcher for the Astros. He allowed one hit when Andre Ethier took advantage of the shift to poke the ball into left for a single, but he otherwise kept the Dodgers’ bats quiet. His teammates now have another chance to win it with a single swing in the bottom half of the inning.

Waldstein: Something to keep an eye on if Jansen stays in the game: the Astros have been getting good swings on him and he has not been as automatic in this World Series as he normally is. Plus, this game has been a launching pad, as it is.

Kenley Jansen appeared to be cruising. The Dodgers’ closer got two quick outs but then unraveled. He hit Brian McCann with a pitch, walked George Springer and then lost the game when Alex Bregman lined a single to left that was deep enough to bring home pinch-runner Derek Fisher. It was a game defined by home runs, but won through patience and hustle.

Game 5 was so incredible, I thought it needed its own post. (Ongoing WS thread - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3598161/posts)

NYT's does a great overview and inning-by-inning recap. Here's a summary...

Top 1st: Dodgers get to Keuchel early ... again.
3-0 Dodgers.
Bottom 1st: Kershaw takes over with a 3-0 lead.
Top 2nd: Keuchel finds the strike zone.
Bottom 2nd: Kershaw cruises through Astros’ order.
Top 3rd: Dodgers go down quietly as Keuchel settles in.
Bottom 3rd: Astros get a hit, but Kershaw closes the door.
Top 4th: Keuchel is done after Dodgers add an insurance run.
4-0 Dodgers.
Bottom 4th: Gurriel’s blast ties the game, 4-4 [Kershaw].
4-4.
Top 5th: Bellinger’s blast puts the Dodgers back on top [McHugh].
7-4 Dodgers.
Bottom 5th: Astros chase Kershaw, then Altuve ties the game [Maeda].
7-7.
Top 6th: McHugh gets the job done for Astros.
Bottom 6th: Astros’ bats quiet down some.
Top 7th: Bellinger puts the Dodgers on top again [Peacock].
8-7 Dodgers.
Bottom 7th: Astros lead after Springer and Correa go long [Morrow].
11-8 Astros.
Top 8th: Dodgers get one back [Devenski].
11-9 Astros.
Bottom 8th: McCann stretches Astros’ lead to 12-9 [Cingrani].
11-9 Astros.
Top 9th: Puig homers as Dodgers tie the game again [Devenski].
12-12.
Bottom 9th: Jansen works a scoreless inning.
Top 10th: Musgrove holds Dodgers to one base runner.
Bottom 10th: Bregman gets the last laugh [Jansen].
13-12 Astros win.

It’s an interesting game. Don’t know if you can pin it on pitching or hitting.

Astros made some uncharacteristic mistakes(some of which didn’t result in error) in fielding.

Put it on young team, they’ll get better.

It was a great game. Too bad half the country missed it.

The game went past 1 a.m. eastern time. How many in the east and Midwest stayed up late on a Sunday night to watch?

The scheduling of World Series night games could be improved.

Mr Umpire’s strike zone expanded a little for the Astros when it made little difference— and it got really big whenever the Dodgers were on the verge of putting the game away.

I agree that the plate umpire sucked, but I did not see it as Astro oriented (confession: I am an Astros fan). In the first inning, Keuchel was not getting calls he had been getting in earlier games like the lower left corner. By the time Kershaw was pitching, that corner became a strike. By then, Keuchel and the Astros were already in the hole. Guys from each team were complaining about the strike zone. At one point, one of the announcers mentioned that Astros manager A. J. Hinch could be seen to say "I don't know where the strike zone is". The worst example for me was one of Puig's at bats. The ump called an inside pitch as a strike when Puig had to move out of the way of the pitch. Puig ended up striking out when he felt that he had to swing at the unhittable inside pitch that would also heve been called a strike. The umpire sucked all night and seemed to be making up the strike zone as he went along.

TOTAL BS. I watched the entire game:

A) Home plate umpire set out to hand the game to the Astros. HE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED for his 'strike' calls on BALLS that were BALLS thrown to Dodger batters such as HERNANDEZ. That was a critical call and the Umpire is Full of SH*T.

AND WHEN THE ASTROS WERE AT BAT, HOW IS A DODGER PITCHER GOING TO STRIKE ANYONE OUT IF THE UMPIRE GIVES THE DODGER PITCHER NO CHOICEBUT TO THROW HOME RUN PITCHES?

B) CHECK THE ASTROS BATS FOR LEAD FILL OR LEAD IN THE BAT TIPS. Seems every home run was over 400FT while Dodger home runs were barely over the fence. SUM TING WONG HERE, FOLKS. CHECK THE ASTROS' BATS.

C) THE ASTROS LEFT THE ROOF CLOSED SO IT WOULD BE LOUDER INSIDE THE STADIUM FOR THE RABID ASTROS FANS. Dodger stadium roof DOES NOT EXIST so it cannot be closed and the sound dissipates because of it. THIS GIVES ASTROS AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE.

HOME PLATE UMPIRE HANDED THIS GAME TO THE ASTROS AND HE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED!!!

Statistically they are very close, the third (Houston) and fourth best in MLB. The matchup is made better because it is the top-ranked scoring team, Houston, versus the second-ranked team for least runs scored against. So the some of the best pitching versus the best hitting.

I look for game 6 to be a good one.

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