The offense. The lead changes. The clutch hits. The unbelievable plays. The incredible drama. Game 5 of the World Series featuring the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros on Sunday had it all.
A game that figured to be a pitcher’s dual between Clayton Kershaw and Dallas Keuchel quickly turned into quite the opposite. The game stretched a whopping 5 hours, 17 minutes, making it one of the longest World Series games in MLB history — Game 3 of the Astros-Chicago White Sox 2005 World Series lasted a postseason record 5 hours, 41 minutes.
Both teams in Sunday’s showdown combined for 28 hits and used 14 pitchers. There were seven total home runs and five lead changes. Just when it seemed one team had things all wrapped up, the other came firing back with improbable at-bats and clutch hits to push the game further.
In the end, it was the Astros winning on a 10th-inning walkoff hit. Third baseman Alex Bregman connected on the first pitch with two-outs for an RBI single that give his team a 13-12 victory.
ALEX BREGMAN WANTS YOU ALL TO GO TO BED!!! #WorldSeries
The incredible victory puts the Astros just one win more away from the first World Series championship in franchise history.
The fireworks started with the Dodgers moving ahead 2-0 in the first inning, and then 4-0 in the fourth on a Austin Barnes RBI single. During the bottom half of the inning, though, the Astros responded with vengeance. They scored four-straight runs in the inning, capped by a 3-run home by Yuli Gurriel to tie it. The long ball sent the sold-out crowd at Minute Maid Park into a frenzy.
YULI GURRIEL!!!! 3-run home run off Kershaw & #EarnHistroy is now tied 4-4 with #ThisTeam #WorldSeries
That elation was short-lived, however. The next time the Dodgers stepped up to the plate, rookie phenom Cody Bellinger connected on a 3-run homer of his own. The blast put L.A. up 7-4, and sent Houston on its heels. But like he’s done time and time again, Jose Altuve came to the rescue. With two runners on base, Altuve sent another homer into the stands, tying the game yet again, this time at 7-7.
The game wasn’t even close to over there, though. Bellinger came to the plate again in the 7th inning and connected again on a pitch, which got past a diving George Springer in center field. Springer’s dive allowed the ball to roll all the way to the fence and scored the runner, as Bellinger was safe on third base. The hit gave the Dodgers an 8-7 lead, but Springer made up for his costly play during his next at bat with a homer. His 7th-inning no-doubter started a Houston rally that ended with Carlos Correa adding two runs of his own with a single swing of his bat.
After a Corey Seagar double cut the Dodgers RBI deficit to two runs, at 11-9, Brian McCann‘s solo homer in the bottom of the 8th seemingly put an end to the game. That’s until the Dodgers came to the plate in what seemed destined to be their final at-bats of the game.
With their backs against the wall, Yasiel Puig and the Dodgers responded. He belted a 2-run homer to left field to make the score 12-11 and give L.A. hope. Barnes followed with a clutch double, and a ground out moved him to third. With two outs and down to their last strike, it was time for Chris Taylor to play the role of hero. He delivered an RBI single that sent the game into extra innings.
Chris Taylor ties it up!!!!! #thisteam
That set the stage for Bregman’s winning hit a couple innings later.
The improbable circumstances had many on social media saying Game 5 was one of the best games ever. So, is that true? Do you think that Game 5 of the World Series was the best game in history? Answer below in the poll:
The incredible Game 5 came is just one of the amazing games thus far in the World Series. And that comes after what many deemed to be one of the best World Series’ of all time last year, when the Chicago Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians in seven games. Game 7 of that series was ranked by many as one of the best World Series games of all time.
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POLL: Was Game 5 of the World Series the Best Game Ever?