Springer blast tops Dodgers
LOS ANGELES — Neither team could put the other away in Game 2 of the World Series Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
George Springer’s two-run homer in the top of the 11th inning finally stood up as the Houston Astros evened the series with a 7-6 victory.
Charlie Culberson hit a solo homer in the bottom of the frame as the teams combined for a series-record eight homers in one game.
The Dodger bullpen — which had produced 28 consecutive scoreless innings — surrendered a 3-1 lead late. Carlos Correa singled home a run for Houston in the eighth and Marwin Gonzalez led off the ninth with a game-tying home run against L.A. closer Kenley Jansen.
The Astros took the lead in the top of the 10th on back to back homers by Jose Altuve and Correa against Josh Fields.
But Houston closer Ken Giles — who retired the side without damage in the ninth — couldn’t hold the lead.
Yasiel Puig greeted Guiles with a solo home run to begin the bottom of the 10th. With two outs and a 1-2 count on Logan Forsythe, Giles walked the Dodger second baseman.
A wild pitch sent Forsythe to second. Enrique Hernandez grounded a 3-1 pitch into right field for a game-tying single.
Houston answered in the 11th as Springer hit a two-run homer off Brandon McCarthy. The blast was Houston’s fourth round-tripper since the eighth inning.
The Astros also became the first team in postseason history to hit four home runs in extra innings of the same game.
The Dodgers managed only two hits in the first nine innings, both homers off Astro starter Justin Verlander. Joc Pederson hit a solo shot in the fifth and Corey Seager drilled a two-run blast in the sixth.
Rich Hill started on the mound for the Dodgers, but pitched only four innings. Los Angeles used nine pitchers in the game.
Game 3 of the World Series will be played Friday night in Houston.
Wednesday marked the first World Series win in Houston’s franchise history. The Chicago White Sox swept them in the 2005 Series.
