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2017 World Series, Game 3
Houston Astros (1-1) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (1-1), Oct. 27, 2017, 7:20 p.m. CDT
Location: Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX
TV: FOX
Radio: Streaming on MLB At Bat app, 790 KBME AM, ESPN Deportes 1230, ESPN Radio
Online: MLB.TV, Fox Sports Go
Dodgers SBNation Blog: True Blue LA
Pitching Matchup
RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (0-0, 2.08 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, .179 BABIP, 3.54 xFIP in the playoffs) vs. RHP Yu Darvish (2-0, 1.59 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, .083 BABIP, 2.63 xFIP)
Preview
And tonight in the Astros-Rangers game it’s Yu Darvish and Lance McCullers in this July matchup. (Whispers come from off screen) What? (More Whispers) Are you telling me Darvish is a Dodger? Why would the Rangers do that? The Rangers suck now? That doesn’t sound so crazy after all. (More whispers).
Is IT OCTOBER AND THE ASTROS AREIN THE WORLD SERIES? Now you’re talking crazy. Okay, we’ll preview it anyway.
Pitching trends
The Houston Astros are facing the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the 2017 World Series and the series is tied 1-1. In a regular matchup from the AL West, Yu Darvish and Lance McCullers square off in the first World Series Game in Houston in 12 years.
McCullers enters the game with a 13-4 in 29 career starts during the regular season. He has a 2.39 ERA over 173 1⁄3 innings, striking out 208 and walking 63. In one career start against the Dodgers, McCullers allowed two runs over seven innings in a 2015 start.
Yu Darvish is 5-5 with a 3.44 ERA in 14 career starts against the Astros and he is 4-1 with a 2.16 ERA in six career starts at Minute Maid Park. He has allowed just one earned run over 14 innings since 2016 at The Juice Box.
Hitting trends
Could the Astros bats work up after the extra-inning home runs in game two? Houston can only hope.
A handful of Astros have had plenty of success against Darvish. George Springer is 6-for-18 with two home runs. Jose Altuve is 7-for-32 with two doubles. Marwin Gonzalez hasn’t had much success, he is 2-for-14 with seven strikeouts.
Astros career stats against Yu Darvish
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Jose Altuve | 32 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0.219 | 0.342 | 0.281 | 0.623 |
| Carlos Beltran | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.200 | 0.273 | 0.200 | 0.473 |
| Alex Bregman | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0.222 | 0.300 | 0.222 | 0.522 |
| Carlos Correa | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0.200 | 0.200 | 0.467 | 0.667 |
| Evan Gattis | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.143 | 0.143 | 0.143 | 0.286 |
| Marwin Gonzalez | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0.143 | 0.200 | 0.143 | 0.343 |
| Yuli Gurriel | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.143 | 0.143 | 0.143 | 0.286 |
| Cameron Maybin | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.111 | 0.273 | 0.222 | 0.495 |
| Brian McCann | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.091 | 0.167 | 0.182 | 0.348 |
| Josh Reddick | 25 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0.160 | 0.185 | 0.240 | 0.425 |
| AJ Reed | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.333 | 0.333 | 0.667 |
| George Springer | 18 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0.333 | 0.333 | 0.667 | 1.000 |
| Preston Tucker | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Two Dodgers have extra-base hits against Lance McCullers, both doubles: Logan Forsythe and Chase Utley. Yasiel Puig is 2-for-3 against McCullers and Andre Ethier is 3-for-3.
Dodgers career stats against Lance McCullers Jr.
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Andre Ethier | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 2.000 |
| Logan Forsythe | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.286 | 0.286 | 0.429 | 0.714 |
| Yasiel Puig | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.667 | 0.667 | 0.667 | 1.333 |
| Franklin Gutierrez | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 | 0.500 | 0.500 | 1.000 |
| Enrique Hernandez | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.500 | 0.500 | 0.500 | 1.000 |
| Chase Utley | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.333 | 0.667 | 1.000 |
| Justin Turner | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
3 Keys to Game 3
Lance McCullers Jr.
The game is going to swing both ways. Lance McCullers will give up a run or two (if not more), but he has to keep his emotion in check. Houston needs a strong start to set the tone for the two remaining games in Houston.
George Springer
After being completely frustrated during Game 1 of the World Series, George Springer finally got the hit he was looking for with his 11th inning home run. Springer has two career home runs against Darvish, he needs to keep it going against the Japanese import.
Ken Giles
If the Astros get an early lead, A.J. Hinch will go back to Giles. he needs to put Game 2 in the rearview mirror.