Dodgers take World Series Game 4 with big 9th inning
HOUSTON -- The Latest on Game 4 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros (all times local):
10:25 p.m.
Cody Bellinger lined a go-ahead double in the ninth inning, four Dodgers pitchers combined on a two-hitter and Los Angeles rallied past the Houston Astros 6-2 Saturday night to tie the World Series at 2-all.
Joc Pederson homered to cap a five-run burst in the ninth, ensuring the Series will be decided next week at Dodger Stadium.
Next up is Game 5 on Sunday night at Minute Maid Park in a marquee matchup. Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw faces Dallas Keuchel in a rematch of the opener, won by the Dodgers.
Bellinger was 0 for 13 with eight strikeouts when he doubled and scored in the seventh to tie it at 1. Bellinger's tiebreaking hit in the ninth came off closer Ken Giles, who was booed off the mound.
Dodgers starter Alex Wood pitched no-hit ball until George Springer homered with two outs in the sixth. That was the only hit Houston managed until Alex Bregman homered with two outs in the ninth off Kenley Jansen.
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9:53 p.m.
Still a tie game going to the ninth inning in Game 4 of the World Series.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Astros have combined for only five hits in a 1-1 game. Houston's lone hit was a big one, with George Springer homering in the sixth.
Both teams went to their third pitchers of the night in the eighth.
After Astros right-hander Chris Devenski recorded a 1-2-3 top of the eighth, Los Angeles lefty Tony Watson did the same in the bottom half of the frame.
Struggling closer Ken Giles was coming on for the Astros to start the ninth.
Kenley Jansen, the Dodgers closer, was stretching in their bullpen.
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9:35 p.m.
Logan Forsythe's two-out RBI single for the Los Angeles Dodgers tied the game at 1-1 in the seventh inning.
Justin Turner hit a grounder to start the seventh. Alex Bregman fumbled with it for a second but his throw was still able to beat Turner to first.
Cody Bellinger snapped an 0 for 13 skid, which included eight strikeouts, with a double to chase Charlie Morton before Will Harris retired Yasiel Puig.
Forsythe then lined a ball into right-center to send Bellinger home and tie the game.
Brandon Morrow then pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to keep the game tied.
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9:09 p.m.
George Springer delivered the first hit of the game for the Houston Astros and it was a huge one, a long home run in the sixth inning that put them ahead 1-0.
Dodgers lefty Alex Wood had completely shut down the Astros until Springer homered deep to left field. Wood fell to one knee as he watched his final pitch sail, and Minute Maid Park erupted.
Astros third baseman Alex Bregman made the play of the game, keeping things scoreless in the top of the sixth. After Los Angeles put runners at the corners with one out against Charlie Morton, Chris Taylor hit a sharp grounder to Bregman.
Bregman aggressively charged the two-hopper, snagged it and made a perfect throw home to nail Enrique Hernandez.
Morton has given up two singles and struck out seven.
Going into the sixth, Wood had already accomplished something that no Dodgers pitcher had achieved. Not Sandy Koufax, not Don Drysdale, not Orel Hershiser, not Sal "The Barber" Maglie, not any Dodgers pitcher in Los Angeles or Brooklyn had taken a no-hit bid into the sixth in the World Series.
Overall, at 5 2/3 innings this was the longest no-hit try in Dodgers postseason history.
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8:42 p.m.
Astros starter Charlie Morton has still faced the minimum 15 batters through five innings. But it's Dodgers starter Alex Wood who still hasn't allowed a hit in Game 4 of the World Series.
Wood has walked two batters, but one of them was retired on a double-play grounder.
The only hit Morton allowed was to Chris Taylor leading off the game for the Dodgers. Taylor was thrown out trying to steal second base.
Morton has seven strikeouts after getting two more Ks in the fifth.
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8:26 p.m.
Charlie Morton and Alex Wood are locked in a pitcher's duel through four innings.
Morton struck out two in a scoreless fourth to give him five on Saturday night and Wood retired Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa to leave Houston hitless.
Morton struck out Chris Taylor to start the fourth before Corey Seager grounded out and he fanned Justin Turner.
Wood has issued two walks and struck out one and Morton has allowed a hit but hasn't walked a batter.
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8:12 p.m.
Not much traffic on the bases so far in Game 4 of the World Series. It's scoreless through three innings, with Dodgers lefty Alex Wood and Houston's Charlie Morton in charge.
There's been only one hit, a single by Chris Taylor leading off the game. Wood has walked a couple, but no one has made it past first base.
The crowd hasn't gotten crazy yet. Sounds like the fans are waiting for something big to happen.
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8:11 p.m.
Seven-year-old Hailey Dawson, who was born without three fingers on her right hand, threw out the ceremonial first pitch with a 3-D printed prosthetic hand.
Dawson's prosthesis was gold and had the words "World Series" on it. She tossed the ball to Astros star Jose Altuve, who hugged her before signing the hand.
Earlier on Saturday, Houston ace Justin Verlander gifted the little girl, who is from Las Vegas, with custom-made cleats that said "Vegas Strong."
Dawson, whose goal is to throw out a pitch at every major league ballpark, started by tossing out one at Nationals Park in June.
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7:52 p.m.
Both starting pitchers in Game 4 have faced the minimum number of batters through two innings, even while allowing runners.
Dodgers starter Alex Wood issued a leadoff walk to Carlos Correa to start the bottom of the second. But Correa was erased when Yuli Gurriel grounded into a double play. Los Angeles second baseman Logan Forsythe then made a nifty sliding stop toward the middle of the infield, getting up to throw out Josh Reddick for the inning-ending out.
Houston right-hander Charlie Morton pitched a 1-2-3 second.
The only Dodgers player to reach was Chris Taylor with a one-out single in the first, but he was then caught trying to steal second base.
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7:35 p.m.
Game 4 of the World Series is scoreless after the first inning.
The Dodgers held a team huddle in the dugout shortly before the first pitch. They trail 2-1 in the Series and were hoping to break loose against Houston starter Charlie Morton.
Chris Taylor led off the game with a sharp single, but was later caught trying to steal. It was the first time Houston catcher Brian McCann had thrown out a would-be base stealer since mid-June 18.
Los Angeles left-hander Alex Wood breezed through the first. The Astros contended that leadoff man George Springer was hit by a pitch, but lost their challenge.
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5:07 p.m.
Dodgers rookie first baseman Cody Bellinger entered Saturday 0 for 11 with seven strikeouts in the World Series.
Bellinger went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts in Game 3, prompting manager Dave Roberts to say "it's just trying to get Cody to slow down a little bit. I think he's been a little too quick."
Roberts said Saturday the coaching staff had spoken with Bellinger, who set an NL rookie record with 39 home runs.
"They've got a plan together, and part of it is having a plan and also executing it," he said. "I talked to Cody a little bit and saw the boyish smile, didn't want to get too deep in things, because he's a few games removed from the CS, which he swung the bat very well. So to put so much weight into a couple of games of not swinging the bat well I think is unfair."
Bellinger hit .318 (7 for 22) with a home run and two RBIs in the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs.
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4:44 p.m.
Houston's 5-3 win in Game 3 of the World Series was seen by 16,163,000 viewers on Fox's three outlets, down 17 percent from the 19,386,000 who viewed Cleveland's 1-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the third game last year.
Fox said Friday's game was seen by an average of 15,658,000 on its main Fox network and 386,000 on Fox Deportes. In addition, an average of 124,500 streamed the game on Fox Sports Go.
The game was up 22 percent from 13,205,000 from the New York Mets' 9-3 win over Kansas City in Game 3 in 2015 and up 33 percent from 12,133,000 for Kansas City's 3-2 victory over San Francisco in 2014.
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4:15 p.m.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros are staying with the same batting orders for Game 4 of the World Series.
Center fielder Chris Taylor leads off Saturday night for the Dodgers, followed by shortstop Corey Seager, third baseman Justin Turner, first baseman Cody Bellinger, right fielder Yasiel Puig, second baseman Logan Forsythe, catcher Austin Barnes, designated hitter Joc Pederson and left fielder Enrique Hernandez. Left-hander Alex Wood pitches.
Center fielder George Springer tops the Astros' order, followed by third baseman Alex Bregman, second baseman Jose Altuve, shortstop Carlos Correa, first baseman Yuli Gurriel, right fielder Josh Reddick, designated hitter Evan Gattis, left fielder Marwin Gonzalez and catcher Brian McCann. Right-hander Charlie Morton is on the mound.
Los Angeles won the opener 3-1, Houston rallied to win Game 2 7-6 in 11 innings and the Astros won Game 3 by a 5-3 score for a 2-1 Series lead.