The Recap

In the quickest World Series game since 1992 (2 hours, 28 minutes), the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Houston Astros 3-1.

Clayton Kershaw’s name is quickly becoming synonymous with names like Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver and Sandy Koufax. If critics have been able to poke any holes in his game, it’s been due to his playoff performances pre-2017.

Kershaw, who has had average playoff performances in years past, has been electric in the 2017 postseason. In his first ever World Series start, he was as dominant as advertised, striking out 11 Astros batters in seven innings of work, while throwing just 83 pitches. Talk about efficiency.

While Kershaw’s performance was brilliant, Dallas Keuchel, who started for Houston, was on top of his game as well. He made just two mistakes, but dueling one of the top five pitchers of all time, two mistakes proved to be costly.

Chris Taylor, who was dumped by Seattle this offseason, has found redemption with the Dodgers and has revived his game. On the first pitch of the game by Dallas Keuchel, Taylor hit a homerun to deep left. It was the second time in three years that a team has scored on the first pitch of Game 1 (Alcides Escobar hit an inside the park home run on the first pitch by Matt Harvey in the 2015 World Series).

The game settled until the top of the fourth inning, when Alex Bregman took Kershaw to deep left, to tie the game at one.

After Keuchel retired ten in a row, with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, he walked Taylor on five pitches. He then surrendered a two-run shot to Justin Turner, which would end up being the game-winner.

Turner, an eight-year journeyman, has had an incredible postseason run with four homers and 14 runs batted in (a franchise record). Turner now has 26 RBIs in his postseason career, one away from the record set by Dodgers legend Duke Snider, who played in nine more playoff games than Turner has.

Brandon Morrow and Kenley Jansen shut the door in the eighth and the ninth innings, extending the scoreless record to 25 consecutive innings for the Dodgers bullpen.

Game 1 Stats:

• Homeruns – Chris Taylor (3), Justin Turner (4); Alex Bregman (3)

• Winning Pitcher – Clayton Kershaw (3-0): 7 IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 11 strikeouts

• Losing Pitcher – Dallas Keuchel (2-2): 6⅔ IP, 6 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts

• Save – Kenley Jansen (4): 1 IP, 1 strikeout

*parentheses denote 2017 postseason numbers

R.J.’s Game 2 Prediction:

Justin Verlander dominates and the Astros get to Rich Hill. This series goes to Houston tied 1-1.

Score Prediction: Astros 6-2 Dodgers