Houston Astros best chance at clinching World Series in L.A. is Justin Verlander
The Houston Astros continue to find a way to win, as they overcame two three run deficits to take a 3-2 series lead as the World Series shifts back to Los Angeles.
The Dodgers looked to have all but secured a 3-2 lead heading home, and with Clayton Kershaw on the mound there was not a spectator alive that could have predicted Kershaw wouldn’t make it past the fifth inning. This historic run for the Astros continues to leave fan’s jaws dropped, and as they have done all season long, they defeated one of baseball’s best in Kershaw.
With the Dodgers returning back to Los Angeles down 3-2 the ante for this World Series is now at an all time high. The Astros sit one game away from winning their first world championship, and they will have Justin Verlander on the mound. The man who single-handedly defeated the Boston Red Sox, staved off elimination in the ALCS against the New York Yankees, and to be quite frank is the reason the Astros are even here. That man will now have the ball in Game 6.
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The Dodgers will be licking their chops heading into this one, and they will have no time to dream of the past. With Game 6 comes our first elimination game of this World Series, and while many would love to see this go the distance to Game 7 the same cannot be said for the Houston faithful.
Rich Hill will not only have to stave off elimination, but keep the Dodgers title aspirations alive. The matchup clearly favors Verlander and the Astros, but is it that easy? I mean, Verlander and company managed to steal Game 2 in Los Angeles, and this game certainly carries a lot more weight. Dallas Keuchel fell to Kershaw in Game 1, and ultimately the Astros got their revenge by defeating the Dodgers ace when it mattered most. Could the same happen for the Dodgers? Absolutely.
This World Series has been one of the most chaotic, home run filled, and drama-enticing in recent memory and that is saying something. A final of 13-12 in Game 5 of the World Series?!?
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Verlander is the guy, folks. If Verlander cannot get this done for the Astros I am by no means saying we may as well give the Dodgers the trophy, but something feels weird about Game 6. Can the Dodgers really just accept that Verlander is going to trot out to the mound, and just make history for the city of Houston? Heck no. The Dodgers will come out aggressive, and will look to knock Verlander out sooner than later, and will force the Astros depleted bullpen to beat them.
After all, it is Game 6 of the World Series, and if this series has shown us anything, it’s that there will be plenty of drama to go around. For the sake of Houston, let’s just hope Verlander gets it done on Halloween night.