The Latest on World Series Game 3 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros (all times local):
HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on World Series Game 3 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros (all times local):
8:47 p.m.
Lance McCullers Jr. walked the bases loaded with no outs in the third inning but escaped with just one run allowed as the Dodgers closed to 4-1.
Full-count walks to Joc Pederson and Chris Taylor around a four-pitch walk to No. 9 hitter Enrique Hernandez set up Los Angeles for the potential of a big inning.
With Brad Peacock starting to warm up, Corey Seager grounded into a 3-6-1 double play on a 1-1 curveball. McCullers just beat Seager to first base for the second out as Pederson came home. Justin Turner followed with an inning-ending grounder.
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8:14 p.m.
The Houston Astros had no problem hitting Yu Darvish in the World Series. He didn’t even make it out of the second inning with the Dodgers down 4-0.
Darvish was done after Jose Altuve’s double off the left-center wall that was the Astros’ fifth hit in the second inning. Kenta Maeda took over with two on and two outs, and got Carlos Correa for an inning-ending flyout.
Yuli Gurriel led off the Astros second by sending a nearly 95 mph fastball into the Crawford Boxes in left field to give the Astros the first run of the game.
Josh Reddick, without an extra-base hit his first 54 plate appearances this offseason, then followed with a sharp double down the left field line. After Evan Gattis drew a walk, Reddick scored when Marwin Gonzalez hit a ball that ricocheted off the wall in left center beyond the reach of leaping center fielder Chris Taylor.
Gonzalez got only a single since Gattis stopped at second base after holding up to see if the ball would be caught.
The first time Darvish ever pitched on the road against the Astros was when he was with the Texas Rangers. The right-hander from Japan retired the first 26 batters he faced on April 2,2013.
Darvish’s bid for a perfect game ended when Gonzalez hit a single through the pitcher’s legs and into center field with two outs in the ninth inning.
With the Rangers, Darvish was 4-1 with a 2.16 ERA in six road starts against the AL West rival Astros. He struck out 56 and walked 11 in those games.
In his first World Series start, Darvish faced 12 batters. He gave up the homer, three doubles and two singles — includes the one by Gonzalez that went about 373 feet.
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7:39 p.m.
In sharp contrast to the games in Los Angeles, where Santa Ana winds led to a gametime temperature of 103 degrees in the opener, it was 65 degrees at Minute Maid Park for the first World Series game in Houston since 2005. The roof was closed — it has not been open for a game since June 9.
After throwing 24 consecutive curveballs for the final five outs of the AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees, Lance McCullers Jr. opened with five fastballs in a 1-2-3 first inning that included six fastballs and six breaking balls.
Second baseman Jose Altuve, shifted a dozen feet into right field, knocked down Corey Seager’s sharp one-out grounder to his glove side, picked up the ball after three bounces and threw to first in time for the out. Justin Turner ended the first by flying to center fielder George Springer on the warning track, 402 feet from home plate.
Springer doubled to right-center against Yu Darvish leading off the bottom half, took third on Altuve’s one-out fly to deep right center and was stranded when Carlos Correa grounded to shortstop.
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7:15 p.m.
J. Watt has thrown out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 of the World Series.
The star defensive end for the Houston Texans was forced to do it on crutches after breaking his left leg on Oct. 8.
It was the first public appearance for Watt, who is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, since he sustained the season-ending injury against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Watt, who started a fundraiser that brought in more than $37 million for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, received a huge ovation as he was introduced.
He wore a bright orange Astros jersey with his name and No. 99, athletic shorts and had a large black brace on his injured leg.
He made his way out to the mound before handing one of his crutches to girlfriend and Houston Dash soccer player Kealia Ohai. He then launched a pitch that was a bit outside to Dallas Keuchel.
He made a hand gesture as if to indicate that his pitch was so-so before getting his second crutch back and moving toward Keuchel. The two embraced and talked for a few seconds before the lefty ace signed the ball for him.
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5:55 p.m.
Joc Pederson will be the designated hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series, which has shifted to the American League ballpark.
Enrique Hernandez, who was originally announced as the DH, will play left field.
Center fielder Chris Taylor leads off, followed by shortstop Corey Seager, third baseman Justin Turner, first baseman Cody Bellinger, right fielder Yasiel Puig, second baseman Logan Forsythe, catcher Austin Barnes, Pederson and Hernandez.
Forsythe also started the opener and was replaced by Chase Utley for Game 2.
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5:25 p.m.
Yasiel Puig in a good-natured way started saying «Excuse me, excuse me» while working to get from batting practice through the crowd of media in front of the Dodgers dugout before Game 3.
With a big smile on his face, he then hooked up with Kenley Jansen, using the 6-foot-5,275-pound Dodgers closer as a sort of shield to get through the crowd.
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5:20 p.m.
Enrique Hernandez is the designated hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers and bats ninth in Game 3 of the World Series, which has shifted to the American League ballpark.
Hernandez started the opener in left field. He entered Game 2 as a defensive replacement and hit a tying single in the 10th inning off Ken Giles.
Center fielder Chris Taylor leads off, followed by shortstop Corey Seager, third baseman Justin Turner, first baseman Cody Bellinger, right fielder Yasiel Puig, second baseman Logan Forsythe, catcher Austin Barnes, left fielder Joc Pederson and Hernandez.
Forsythe also started the opener and was replaced by Chase Utley for Game 2.
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4:50 p.m.
Yu Darvish has been close to perfect at Minute Maid Park, where he makes his first World Series start in Game 3 for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Houston Astros.
The first time Darvish ever pitched on the road against the Astros was when he was with the Texas Rangers. The right-hander from Japan retired the first 26 batters he faced on April 2,2013.
Darvish’s bid for a perfect game ended when Marwin Gonzalez hit a single through the pitcher’s legs and into center field with two outs in the ninth inning.
