Houston Astros (101-61) vs. LOS ANGELES DODGERS (104-58) RHP Justin Verlander (4-0, 1.46) vs. LHP Rich Hill (0-0, 3.00) Wednesday, October 25, 2017 | 5:09 p.m. PT | Dodger Stadium | Los Angeles, CA World Series- Game 2 (L.A. leads 1-0) TV: FOX | Radio: AM 570 (Eng.); 1020 AM (Span.), ESPN Radio, AM 1540 (Kor.) #THISTEAM: The Dodgers defeated the American League- MATCHUP vs. ASTROS champion Houston Astros, 3-1, last night behind 7.0 stellar innings All-Time vs. HOU: LA leads series, 388-323 (217-144 at Dodger Stadium) All-Time Postseason: LA leads 4-2 (4-0 at Dodger Stadium) from Clayton Kershaw and homers by co-NLCS MVPs Chris World Series Game 1: W, 3-1 W: Kershaw L: Keuchel S: Jansen Taylor and Justin Turner. The victory was the Dodgers’ first FLAIR FOR THE DRAMA: Dodger NLCS co-MVP Justin World Series win since October 20, 1988, when the club beat the Turner went 1-for-4 with a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh A’s, 5-2 in Game 5 of the Fall Classic and claimed their sixth World inning that keyed the Dodger win. Turner’s homer was his fourth this Championship in franchise history. The Dodgers are 8-1 this Postseason and his third-go-ahead homer (also Game 1 NLDS and postseason and are the first club to win eight of their first nine Game 2 NLCS). Turner’s four homers this year are tied for the Postseason games since the 2014 Kansas City Royals, who won 10 second most by a Dodger in a single Postseason, one shy of Davey of their first 11. Los Angeles is in search of its seventh World Series Lopes’ five in 1978. title in franchise history. Turner’s 14 RBI this Postseason are the most-ever by a th The Dodgers are playing in the World Series for the 19 Dodger in a single postseason, breaking Dusty Baker’s time in franchise history (1916, ’20, ’41, ’47, ’49, ’52, ’53, previous record of 13 (1977). His 26-career Postseason RBI ’55, ’56, ’59, ’63, ’65, ’66, ’74, ’77, ’78, ‘81 and ’88). are tied with Duke Snider for the most in franchise history. The Dodgers and Astros met once before in the Postseason, Turner has reached base safely in all nine games this with Los Angeles winning a five-game Division Series, Postseason, slashing .371 (13-for-35)/.476/.714 with four necessitated by the 1981 strike. The Dodgers dropped the homers, 14 RBI and a .700 (7-for-10) average with runners first two games at the Astrodome in Houston, before roaring in scoring position. His 14 RBI lead all players this back to win three straight at Chavez Ravine, culminating Postseason. with a Game 5 victory in which Jerry Reuss fired a shutout and L.A. broke a scoreless tie with three runs off Hall of Turner has also reached base safely in 24 of his last 25 Famer Nolan Ryan in the sixth inning. Postseason games since Oct. 9, 2015, hitting .371 (33-for- 89) with six doubles, one triple, six homers and 26 RBI This series marks the first time two clubs with 100+ wins during that span. His .363 career Postseason average is tied are facing each other in the Fall Classic since 1970. In that for fifth all-time and his 1.121 career Postseason OPS is the World Series, the Baltimore Orioles (108 wins) beat the highest in the Majors among active players (min. 75 PA). Cincinnati Reds (102 wins) in five games. MR. UNANIMOUS: Cody Bellinger established a National League Prior to last night, Dodger infielder Chase Utley was the rookie home run record (third all-time) with 39 home runs, while also only player on the active roster with World Series ranking among all-time Dodger rookies in RBI (97, 3rd) in 132 experience, winning the 2008 Fall Classic and losing in games. The Dodgers went 91-41 in games in which Bellinger 2009 with the Phillies. appeared (89-38 in starts) after his April 25 call-up, and overall, he HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Last night, Dodger starter Clayton ranked among the NL leaders in homers (2nd) and slugging Kershaw won his seventh-career Postseason start in his first World percentage (.581, 5th). Series outing. Kershaw is now the winningest pitcher in Dodger On Tuesday, Bellinger was announced as The Sporting Postseason history. News Rookie of the Year and is hitting .256 (10-for-39) Dodger leadoff man Chris Taylor hit the first World Series with two homers, two doubles and four RBI this pitch he saw into the left field pavilion last night, becoming Postseason. Bellinger is just the 34th rookie in ML history just the fourth player in history to hit a leadoff homer in to record two-plus homers in the Postseason, and only the Game 1 of the World Series and the first since Kansas third Dodger, joining Corey Seager (2) and Jim Gilliam City’s Alcides Escobar in 2015. (2). BIG RICH HILL: The Dodgers send left-hander Rich Hill to the TOO DARN GOOD: The Dodger pitching staff this Postseason has mound tonight for his seventh career Postseason start and sixth as a been unbelievable, posting a 2.14 ERA (19 ER/80.0 IP) and holding Dodger. Hill is 1-2 with a 3.96 ERA (11 ER/25.0 IP) in his hitters to a .161 average. The bullpen has been a key factor in this Postseason career and has picked up two no-decisions this year while year’s playoffs for L.A., as the ‘pen has allowed just three runs over posting a 3.00 ERA (3 ER/9.0 IP) in two starts. L.A. has won the last 30.2 innings (0.88 ERA) while holding hitters to a .118 average (12- four Postseason starts Hill has made, beginning with Game 5 of the for-102) in nine games. Dodger relievers have struck out 33 batters NLDS at Washington in 2016. In 2017, Hill was 12-8, reaching against just two walks, posting a 0.46 WHIP. double-digit win totals for the third time in his career and in his second consecutive season. The July NL Pitcher of the Month was The Dodger bullpen has tossed 25.0 consecutive scoreless 9-5 with a 2.68 ERA (30 ER/100.2 IP) and a .185 opponents’ average innings, going back to the seventh inning of NLDS Game in his last 17 starts, a stretch that began on June 21. 2. Against the Cubs in the NLCS, the ‘pen fired 17.0 scoreless frames. Hill is 3-1 with a 2.68 ERA (12 ER/40.1 IP) in 10 games (six starts) against the Astros in his career. The Dodger closer Kenley Jansen is 1-0 with four saves while Massachusetts native faced Houston twice last year while a allowing just one unearned run in 9.0 innings this member of the Oakland A’s and tossed 6.0 innings in both Postseason. Jansen has recorded 13 strikeouts against just starts, allowing two runs in the first outing and one in the one walk and has converted 12 consecutive saves to begin second on July 7, 2016. his Postseason career, which is the most ever, outpacing the next-best streak (8), held by five different hurlers. DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS: The Dodgers rated as one of the Majors best defensive teams in 2017, leading the Majors in CENTURY CITY: Los Angeles finished with the best record in the Baseball-Reference’s Defensive Efficiency (.709), which measures Majors for the first time since 1974 and the National League’s best the percentage of balls in play converted into outs. Also, according record for the first time since 2009. The Dodgers set a Los Angeles to FanGraphs, the Dodgers’ defense resulted in 48 defensive runs record for victories with 104 (104-58), tying for the second most in saved, the best mark in the NL and the second-best mark in Majors franchise history (also: 1942, 104-50) and finishing one shy of the behind the Rays (51). club record of 105 (105-49), set in 1953. Yasiel Puig tied for the lead among NL right fielders and Los Angeles’ 104 wins were the most by a big league club for eighth in the Majors overall with 18 defensive runs since 2004, when the Cardinals went 105-57. saved, according to FanGraphs. UPCOMING SCHEDULE Date/Time/Opponent (PT Time) Probable Pitchers TV/Radio Game 3, Fri., Oct. 27, 5:10 p.m. at HOU RHP Yu Darvish (2-0, 1.59) vs. TBD TV: FOX | Radio: ESPN, AM 570, KTNQ1020, AM 1540 0.75 WHIP. Jansen’s 109 Ks ranked second in the NL as he posted ALL THAT POWER: The Dodgers established franchise records the fourth 100+ strikeout season of his career. with 553 extra-base hits (previous high: 541 in 1953), 312 doubles All-Star Justin Turner finished third in the NL with a .322 (previous high: 307 in 2006) and 221 home runs (4th, NL), which batting average, behind only Charlie Blackmon (.331) and topped the club’s previous high of 211 set in 2000. The club also set Daniel Murphy (.322), while posting a .415 on-base a Los Angeles record with a .437 slugging percentage, outpacing the percentage (2nd, NL). Turner posted a .380/.477/.704 previous high of .432 set in 2006. slashline against lefties, ranking fourth in the Majors in Los Angeles had six players – Cody Bellinger, Yasmani average, first in OBP and fourth in slugging vs.