Astros get first ever Series victory at home

HOUSTON — The Latest on World Series Game 3 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros (all times local):

11:05 p.m.

George Springer and the Houston Astros broke out their bats in a four-run second inning, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 Friday night for a 2-1 World Series lead.

Yuli Gurriel homered to begin the four-run burst off loser Yu Darvish that also included run-scoring singles by Marwin Gonzalez and Brian McCann plus Alex Bregman's sacrifice fly.

Lance McCullers Jr. allowed three runs and four hits over 5 1/3 innings for the win and Brad Peacock followed with hitless relief for the save as the Astros improved to 7-0 at home this postseason and moved within two wins of their first title.

Darvish lasted 1 2/3 innings in his shortest big league start.

Charlie Morton starts for Houston in Game 4 on Saturday night against lefty Alex Wood.

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10:53 p.m.

The Houston Astros are three outs away from their first-ever World Series victory at home and a 2-1 series lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Yasiel Puig will be leading off the ninth for the Dodgers, who trail 5-3.

Astros reliever Brad Peacock who has already thrown 2 2-3 scoreless innings, was going back to the mound again for the ninth instead of struggling closer Ken Giles. Peacock completed a 1-2-3 eighth with strikeouts of Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger.

Houston was swept by the Chicago White Sox in its only other World Series in 2005. After losing the first two games in Chicago, the Astros then lost two in a row at home.

HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 27: Tony Watson #33 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches to Brian McCann #16 of the Houston Astros during the fifth inning in game three of the 2017 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 27, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by



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10:34 p.m.

Brad Peacock pitched a scoreless seventh to maintain Houston's 5-3 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the Astros missed a chance to add onto their advantage.

Peacock retired pinch-hitter Yasmani Grandal before striking out Joc Pederson on three pitches. Pinch-hitter Andre Ethier drew a walk before Yuli Gurriel grabbed a bouncer and slid head-first into first base to beat Chris Taylor there for the third out.

Gurriel led off the bottom of the inning with a double to chase Brandon Morrow. He was replaced by Tony Cingrani and Josh Reddick attempted a bunt off of him, but it sailed into the air and Cody Bellinger made a diving play to catch it on the infield grass.

The Dodgers intentionally walked Evan Gattis and Brian McCann singled with two outs on a grounder that Bellinger couldn't corral to load the bases.

Ross Stripling took over and George Springer hit a long fly ball, but Taylor caught it at the back of the warning track to leave Houston empty-handed.

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10:06 p.m.

The Dodgers closed to 5-3 in the sixth, chasing Lance McCullers Jr.

Corey Seager walked leading off, Justin Turner doubled and Cody Bellinger, McCullers' last batter, struck out.

Yasiel Puig hit an RBI grounder and, with pinch-hitter Chase Utley batting, Brad Peacock bounced a run-scoring wild pitch off the plate.

Houston threatened in the bottom of the half when George Springer reached on a one-out throwing error by Turner on his grounder to third and Alex Bregman walked.

Brandon Morrow relieved Tony Watson and struck out Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa.

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9:27 p.m.

Dodgers reliever Kenta Maeda still hasn't given up a run this postseason, though the Astros added a run after he left the game to take a 5-1 lead after five innings.

Maeda worked 2 2-3 scoreless innings after taking over for Yu Darvish with two on and two outs in the second after the Astros had scored four runs with five hits.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made another pitching change after Maeda got Carlos Correa out on a grounder to start the fifth. Correa was also the first batter Maeda faced, getting him on a flyball to end the second.

Reliever Tony Watson allowed a two-out single to Josh Reddick before Evan Gattis hit a dribbler toward third base. The pitcher fielded the ball, but his errant throw that got past first baseman Cody Bellinger allowed Reddick to score.

Maeda has allowed only two hits over nine scoreless innings in seven appearances this postseason.

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9:04 p.m.

Lance McCullers bounced back with an easy fourth inning after walking three and allowing a run to help the Astros maintain a 4-1 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Yasiel Puig singled with one out in the inning on a grounder down the left field line that bounced off third baseman Alex Bregman's glove. But he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double after running far past first base before making the decision to go to second. McCullers retired Logan Forsythe for the third out.

Brian McCann singled with no outs in the bottom of the inning when his soft liner sailed just out of the reach of Corey Seager. But he was left stranded when Kenta Maeda retired the next three, with strikeouts of George Springer and Alex Bregman, to end the inning.

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8:47 p.m.

Lance McCullers Jr. walked the bases loaded with no outs in the third inning but escaped with just one run allowed as the Dodgers closed to 4-1.

Full-count walks to Joc Pederson and Chris Taylor around a four-pitch walk to No. 9 hitter Enrique Hernandez set up Los Angeles for the potential of a big inning.

With Brad Peacock starting to warm up, Corey Seager grounded into a 3-6-1 double play on a 1-1 curveball. McCullers just beat Seager to first base for the second out as Pederson came home. Justin Turner followed with an inning-ending grounder.

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8:14 p.m.

The Houston Astros had no problem hitting Yu Darvish in the World Series. He didn't even make it out of the second inning with the Dodgers down 4-0.

Darvish was done after Jose Altuve's double off the left-center wall that was the Astros' fifth hit in the second inning. Kenta Maeda took over with two on and two outs, and got Carlos Correa for an inning-ending flyout.

Yuli Gurriel led off the Astros second by sending a nearly 95 mph fastball into the Crawford Boxes in left field to give the Astros the first run of the game.

Josh Reddick, without an extra-base hit his first 54 plate appearances this offseason, then followed with a sharp double down the left field line. After Evan Gattis drew a walk, Reddick scored when Marwin Gonzalez hit a ball that ricocheted off the wall in left center beyond the reach of leaping center fielder Chris Taylor.

Gonzalez got only a single since Gattis stopped at second base after holding up to see if the ball would be caught.

The first time Darvish ever pitched on the road against the Astros was when he was with the Texas Rangers. The right-hander from Japan retired the first 26 batters he faced on April 2, 2013.

Darvish's bid for a perfect game ended when Gonzalez hit a single through the pitcher's legs and into center field with two outs in the ninth inning.

With the Rangers, Darvish was 4-1 with a 2.16 ERA in six road starts against the AL West rival Astros. He struck out 56 and walked 11 in those games.

In his first World Series start, Darvish faced 12 batters. He gave up the homer, three doubles and two singles — includes the one by Gonzalez that went about 373 feet.

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7:39 p.m.

In sharp contrast to the games in Los Angeles, where Santa Ana winds led to a gametime temperature of 103 degrees in the opener, it was 65 degrees at Minute Maid Park for the first World Series game in Houston since 2005. The roof was closed — it has not been open for a game since June 9.

After throwing 24 consecutive curveballs for the final five outs of the AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees, Lance McCullers Jr. opened with five fastballs in a 1-2-3 first inning that included six fastballs and six breaking balls.

Second baseman Jose Altuve, shifted a dozen feet into right field, knocked down Corey Seager's sharp one-out grounder to his glove side, picked up the ball after three bounces and threw to first in time for the out. Justin Turner ended the first by flying to center fielder George Springer on the warning track, 402 feet from home plate.

Springer doubled to right-center against Yu Darvish leading off the bottom half, took third on Altuve's one-out fly to deep right center and was stranded when Carlos Correa grounded to shortstop.

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7:15 p.m.

J.J. Watt has thrown out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 of the World Series.

The star defensive end for the Houston Texans was forced to do it on crutches after breaking his left leg on Oct. 8.

It was the first public appearance for Watt, who is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, since he sustained the season-ending injury against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Watt, who started a fundraiser that brought in more than $37 million for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, received a huge ovation as he was introduced.

He wore a bright orange Astros jersey with his name and No. 99, athletic shorts and had a large black brace on his injured leg.

He made his way out to the mound before handing one of his crutches to girlfriend and Houston Dash soccer player Kealia Ohai. He then launched a pitch that was a bit outside to Dallas Keuchel.

He made a hand gesture as if to indicate that his pitch was so-so before getting his second crutch back and moving toward Keuchel. The two embraced and talked for a few seconds before the lefty ace signed the ball for him.

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5:55 p.m.

Joc Pederson will be the designated hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series, which has shifted to the American League ballpark.

Enrique Hernandez, who was originally announced as the DH, will play left field.

Center fielder Chris Taylor leads off, followed by shortstop Corey Seager, third baseman Justin Turner, first baseman Cody Bellinger, right fielder Yasiel Puig, second baseman Logan Forsythe, catcher Austin Barnes, Pederson and Hernandez.

Forsythe also started the opener and was replaced by Chase Utley for Game 2.

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5:25 p.m.

Yasiel Puig in a good-natured way started saying "Excuse me, excuse me" while working to get from batting practice through the crowd of media in front of the Dodgers dugout before Game 3.

With a big smile on his face, he then hooked up with Kenley Jansen, using the 6-foot-5, 275-pound Dodgers closer as a sort of shield to get through the crowd.

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5:20 p.m.

Enrique Hernandez is the designated hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers and bats ninth in Game 3 of the World Series, which has shifted to the American League ballpark.

Hernandez started the opener in left field. He entered Game 2 as a defensive replacement and hit a tying single in the 10th inning off Ken Giles.

Center fielder Chris Taylor leads off, followed by shortstop Corey Seager, third baseman Justin Turner, first baseman Cody Bellinger, right fielder Yasiel Puig, second baseman Logan Forsythe, catcher Austin Barnes, left fielder Joc Pederson and Hernandez.

Forsythe also started the opener and was replaced by Chase Utley for Game 2.

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4:50 p.m.

Yu Darvish has been close to perfect at Minute Maid Park, where he makes his first World Series start in Game 3 for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Houston Astros.

The first time Darvish ever pitched on the road against the Astros was when he was with the Texas Rangers. The right-hander from Japan retired the first 26 batters he faced on April 2, 2013.

Darvish's bid for a perfect game ended when Marwin Gonzalez hit a single through the pitcher's legs and into center field with two outs in the ninth inning.

With the Rangers, Darvish was 4-1 with a 2.16 ERA in six road starts against the AL West rival Astros. He struck out 56 and walked 11 in those games.

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4:35 p.m.

The last time the Los Angeles Dodgers played a postseason game in Houston was way back in 1981, at the Astrodome and when the Astros were still in the National League.

That was in the NL Division Series, when Houston won the first two games in the best-of-five series. The last three games were played in Dodger Stadium, and the Dodgers won all three at home to advance to the NL Championship Series.

In that NLDS Game 2 in Houston, on Oct. 7, 1981, the Astros won 1-0 in 11 innings. Denny Walling had a two-out RBI single with two outs in the 11th for the game's only run.

Jerry Reuss had thrown nine scoreless innings in that game for the Dodgers. Astros starter Joe Niekro went eight innings.

Los Angeles went on to beat Montreal in the NLCS, and won the World Series in six games over the New York Yankees.

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4:30 p.m.

Evan Gattis is the Houston Astros' designated hitter and bats seventh in Game 3 on Friday night as the World Series shifts to the American League ballpark.

Catcher Brian McCann drops from sixth to ninth in the batting order. Houston stays with the same eight position players for the third straight game.

Center fielder George Springer leads off, followed by third baseman Alex Bregman, second baseman Jose Altuve, shortstop Carlos Correa, first baseman Yuli Gurriel, right fielder Josh Reddick, Gattis, left fielder Marwin Gonzalez and McCann. Right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. is on the mound.

Los Angeles won the opener 3-1 and Houston rallied to win Game 2 7-6 in 11 innings.