Reaction: Houston Astros win their first World Series title
Sports Illustrated’s 2014 prediction comes true at the Dodger Stadium
Dodgers 1 Astros 5 (Houston win World Series 4-3)
The Houston Astros have won the 2017 MLB World Series after a 5-1 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game seven.
Securing the thrilling series 4-3 overall, the Astros were dominant at Dodger Stadium as they took a five-run lead in the first two innings.
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Astros centre fielder George Springer, who was named the most valuable player, became the first person to hit home runs in four successive World Series matches.
“It’s unbelievable, indescribable,” Springer told The Guardian. “This was a dogfight. It’s physically draining, emotionally draining.
“With the wildness of this series, the wackiness of this series, the emotional up and downs, being able to play in this is something I will never, ever forget, even if this is the only time I will ever get here.”
Not only did the game seven win see the Astros secure a first World Series in their 56-year history it also meant that Sports Illustrated’s 2014 prediction came true.
Three years ago Sports Illustrated predicted on its cover that the Astros would win the World Series in 2017. The publication has today revealed that the historic edition is now being sold for as much as $355 (£267).
We take a look at the Twitter reaction from Houston’s World Series win:
History is made in Houston.
Celebration time for the Astros...
… and for Astros player Carlos Correa, who proposed to his Daniella Rodriguez. She said yes by the way.
Thanks for that, Carlos.
Despite the series loss, the Dodgers can be proud of their achievements.
The city of Houston has something to celebrate after being hit by Hurricane Harvey in August.
Nobody in Houston minds a traffic jam today.
George Springer is named the 2017 World Series MVP.
2017 World Series results
- Game one: Dodgers 3 Astros 1
- Game two: Dodgers 6 Astros 7
- Game three: Astros 5 Dodgers 3
- Game four: Astros 2 Dodgers 6
- Game five: Astros 13 Dodgers 12
- Game six: Dodgers 3 Astros 1
- Game seven: Dodgers 1 Astros 5
Game six: Los Angeles Dodgers 3 Houston Astros 1
Baseball’s 2017 World Series will go to the deciding match after the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Houston Astros 3-1 in game six.
A full house at Dodger Stadium today saw LA level the series at 3-3 and the two teams will return tomorrow for game seven of this hugely entertaining encounter.
In game six Joc Pederson scored a solo home run in the seventh inning and this was enough to force the winner-takes-all finale.
This year’s World Series has seen some classic battles so it’s no surprise that it will go to game seven.
“I think it seems fitting,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told CNN. “You’ve got the two best teams in baseball going head to head. Like we’ve talked about from the beginning, these two teams mirror one another. And the compete and fight in both teams is the most important thing I see as similarities.
“But, again, we worked all year long to have home-field advantage, and here we are. It’s only fitting for this series, yeah.”
Houston could have wrapped up the series if they had won game six, but they will have to regroup and go again at Dodger Stadium says Astros manager A.J. Hinch.
“This series has been back and forth,” said Hinch. “And two incredible teams, trying to get to the finish line. Now obviously it’s good for our sport. Necessarily bad for us, because we wanted to win tonight.
“We’ll get back to the hotel, where we’ll collect ourselves. Both teams will be ready to play with about as much energy as you could possibly imagine in game seven.”
2017 World Series results and fixtures (all times UK)
- Game one: Dodgers 3 Astros 1
- Game two: Dodgers 6 Astros 7
- Game three: Astros 5 Dodgers 3
- Game four: Astros 2 Dodgers 6
- Game five: Astros 13 Dodgers 12
- Game six: Dodgers 3 Astros 1
- Game seven, tomorrow: Dodgers vs. Astros (12.20am at Dodger Stadium)
How to watch game seven of the World Series on TV in the UK
The deciding game of the 2017 World Series will be shown live on BT Sport. The broadcaster will also stream live at BTSport.com and via its app.
Game five: Houston Astros 13 Los Angeles Dodgers 12
30 October
The Houston Astros need just one more victory to secure the 2017 MLB World Series after beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 13-12 in another classic encounter.
Described by the New York Times as “raucous”, game five in this entertaining series saw ten innings, 25 runs, 28 hits, seven home runs and the lead change hands five times. The victory means the Astros are now 3-2 up in the series and they can secure the championship on 1 November in game six at Dodger Stadium in LA.
ESPN senior writer David Schoenfield said that if game two was the craziest World Series match ever, then game five just blew that theory away. “If you had a rooting interest in this game, you’re not even reading this column because you’re probably out of energy,” said Schoenfield.
In the same tone Yahoo’s Mike Oz added that if people thought baseball was a boring sport, then this year’s World Series is proof that it’s not.
Oz writes: “There’s this notion, as crazy as it sounds, that baseball somehow isn’t good anymore. Every year, this notion gives birth to endless headlines about baseball dying. Or baseball not being exciting enough. Or baseball only being a sport for people who have been watching baseball for 40 years.
“Well, that notion walked into the 2017 World Series and got laughed right out of the room. Or perhaps more fitting: someone swung a bat at it and crushed it over the fence.”
Now one win away from the championship, Astros manager AJ Hinch was equally excited by the action at Minute Maid Park.
“Just when I thought I could describe game two as my favourite game of all time, I think game five exceeded that and more,” Hinch told ESPN.
“It’s hard to put into words all the twists and turns in that game, the emotion, doing it at home, in front of our home crowd.”
Game six of the World Series starts at 12.20am on 1 November.
2017 World Series results and fixtures (all times UK)
- Game one: Dodgers 3 Astros 1
- Game two: Dodgers 6 Astros 7
- Game three: Astros 5 Dodgers 3
- Game four: Astros 2 Dodgers 6
- Game five: Astros 13 Dodgers 12
- Game six, 1 Nov: Dodgers vs. Astros (12.20am)
- Game seven, 2 Nov: Dodgers vs. Astros (12.20am)
How to watch the World Series on TV in the UK
All World Series matches will be shown live on BT Sport. The broadcaster will also stream live at BTSport.com and via its app.
Houston Astros stun the LA Dodgers in game two
26 October
Los Angeles Dodgers 6 Houston Astros 7
The Houston Astros levelled the MLB World Series with a dramatic fightback over the Los Angeles Dodgers in game two.
Coming from behind to win in the 11th inning, the Astros now head back to Houston level with the Dodgers at one game each in what is now a best-of-five series.
Played in front of a crowd of 54,293 at Dodger Stadium, game two will go down as a “classic” says ESPN. Eight home runs - a record for a World Series game - were scored during an “unbelievably exciting” match and it was George Springer’s two-run drive for the Astros in the 11th that made the difference.
“This is an instant classic,” Houston right-hander Justin Verlander told The Guardian. “To be able to be part of it is pretty special.”
Astros manager AJ Hinch agreed with Verlander’s assessment of game two. Hinch said: “That’s an incredible game on so many levels, so many ranges of emotion. Getting this win was hard.
“If you like October baseball – if you like any kind of baseball - that’s one of the most incredible games you’ll ever be a part of. I feel like a record setter tonight, and I want to break my own record.”
The next three World Series matches will now be held at Minute Maid Park in Houston with game three taking place on Saturday, 28 October at 1.09am (UK time).
2017 World Series results and fixtures (all times UK)
- Game one: Dodgers 3 Astros 1
- Game two: Dodgers 6 Astros 7
- Game three, 28 Oct: Astros vs. Dodgers
- Game four, 29 Oct: Astros vs. Dodgers
- Game five, 30 Oct: Astros vs. Dodgers
- Game six, 1 Nov: Dodgers vs. Astros
- Game seven, 2 Nov: Dodgers vs. Astros
How to watch the World Series on TV in the UK
All World Series matches will be shown live on BT Sport. The broadcaster will also stream live at BTSport.com and via its app.
LA Dodgers beat Houston Astros 3-1 in game one
25 October
A superb pitching display by Clayton Kershaw inspired the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-1 win over the Houston Astros in the opening match of the MLB World Series.
Kershaw struck out 11 Astros batsmen over seven innings and only conceded one run - to Alex Bregman in the fourth inning - on three hits.
Justin Turner hit a two-run home run and Chris Taylor added a home run for the Dodgers to help them take an early lead in the series. They host the Astros at Dodger Stadium again in game two tomorrow (1.09am UK time).
It was a “special night” for Kershaw, said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, speaking to NPR.
Outfielder Enrique Hernandez, meanwhile, told the Los Angeles Times: “He’s still Clayton Kershaw. He’s still the best in the game.”
The 29-year-old pitcher was pleased with the performance and the Dodgers’ strong start to the World Series.
“Definitely feels good to say it was the World Series, and it feels good to say we’re 1-0,” he told the Associated Press.
“Just getting that momentum early is huge and let the crowd kind of feed off that. It was definitely as good a start as we could have hoped for.”
2017 World Series results and fixtures (all times UK)
- Game one: Dodgers 3 Astros 1
- Game two, tomorrow: Dodgers vs. Astros (1.09am)
- Game three, 28 Oct: Astros vs. Dodgers (1.09am)
- Game four, 29 Oct: Astros vs. Dodgers (1.09am)
- Game five, 30 Oct: Astros vs. Dodgers (12.16am)
- Game six, 1 Nov: Dodgers vs. Astros (12.09am)
- Game seven, 2 Nov: Dodgers vs. Astros (12.10am)
How to watch the World Series on TV in the UK
All World Series matches will be shown live on BT Sport. The broadcaster will also stream live at BTSport.com and via its app.
2017 MLB World Series guide: Dodgers vs. Astros
23 October
The 113th edition of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) World Series will see the Los Angeles Dodgers face the Houston Astros in a best of seven match-up.
All eyes will be on Dodger Stadium in LA as the two teams slug it out in match one in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Who will emerge victorious from the series and earn the right to take home the Commissioner’s Trophy? We take a look at the pundit predictions and key talking points.
2017 World Series fixtures
- Game one, 25 Oct: Dodgers vs. Astros (1.09am)
- Game two, 26 Oct: Dodgers vs. Astros (1.09am)
- Game three, 28 Oct: Astros vs. Dodgers (1.09am)
- Game four, 29 Oct: Astros vs. Dodgers (1.09am)
- Game five, 30 Oct: Astros vs. Dodgers (12.16am)
- Game six, 1 Nov: Dodgers vs. Astros (12.09am)
- Game seven, 2 Nov: Dodgers vs. Astros (12.10am)
How to watch the World Series on TV in the UK
All World Series matches will be shown live on BT Sport. The broadcaster will also stream live at BTSport.com and via its app.
Prepare for a scorcher
MLB.com columnist Anthony Castrovince predicts that the 2017 World Series will be “a classic”. Castrovince says that the weather forecast for game one in LA will be approaching 100 degrees fahrenheit (37C) so fans should get ready for a “scorcher” and a “red hot” series between the two sides.
Long wait for success
The Dodgers have not won a World Series since 1988 (29 years) and the Astros have never won in their 55-year history. So expect wild celebrations from either set of supporters when their team finally lands the big one.
Who will win? Pundit predictions…
Sports Illustrated predicted the Astros would win this year’s World Series three years ago back in 2014. Ben Reiter wrote a cover story about how the Astros would lift the trophy in 2017 – he maintains his prediction.
We see how other pundits predict the World Series:
Emma Span, Sports Illustrated: “I picked the Dodgers before the season, despite the Astros cover prediction SI [in]famously made three years ago, largely because I didn’t think the Astros had the pitching. The Astros’ offence is the best in the game, they have two real aces, and they won’t be easy to beat. But the Dodgers’ depth and balance made them the best team in the majors this season – and this post season, too.”
Bleacher Report: “Although the Houston Astros have the deeper bench and better hitting lineup, the Los Angeles Dodgers have three edges: they have home-field advantage, they have the much better bullpen and their starting rotation is arguably the best and deepest in baseball. That should be enough to beat the Houston Astros, but it won’t be easy. Look for the Dodgers to take the Fall Classic in six games.”
Michelle Krasovitski, Varsity: “I think it’s Los Angeles’s year – it’ll be a hard-fought series, but the Dodgers will come out on top at the end.”
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