LOS ANGELES — Dodgers reliever Ross Stripling was confident as the World Series headed back to California.
“If we can just hold them to less than 12 runs, we’ll get some wins,” he said playfully.
Game 6
WHO: Astros (Verlander) at Dodgers (Hill)
WHEN: 8:20 Tuesday night
SERIES: Astros lead, 3-2
TELEVISION: FOX
Los Angeles players seemed dazed after Sunday night’s 13-12, 10-inning loss to the Astros, which gave Houston a 3-2 Series lead.
Astros felt ecstatic and energized, Dodgers drained and dispirited after 5 hours, 17 minutes that resembled Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots transferred from a ring to a diamond.
“Baseball is a sport of momentum,” said Houston’s Brian McCann, who started the winning rally when he was hit by Kenley Jansen’s pitch with two outs in the 10th at Minute Maid Park.
Los Angeles wasted leads of 4-0, 7-4 and 8-7. The Astros surged ahead 11-8 and 12-9 before the Dodgers tied the score in the ninth on Yasiel Puig’s two-run homer and Chris Taylor’s two-out single on a 2-2 pitch.
Bouncing back from a rugged defeat in the Series can be difficult. Boston was twice within a strike of its first title since 1918 before losing Game 6 in 1986 by a 6-5 score when Mookie Wilson’s grounder went through the legs of first baseman Bill Buckner. The Red Sox wasted a three-run lead to the New York Mets in an 8-5 loss in Game 7.
“We had the game won,” Boston outfielder Dave Henderson said after Game 6. “I’m beginning to think somebody up there is writing the script to make it interesting.”
Texas was twice within a strike of its first World Series title in Game 6 in 2011, but Neftali Feliz allowed David Freese’s tying triple in the ninth, Scott Feldman gave up Lance Berkman’s tying single in the 10th and Mark Lowe yielded Freese’s game-ending home run in the 11th. St. Louis overcame a two-run, first-inning deficit the next night to win 6-2.
“Sometimes when opportunity is in your presence, you certainly can’t let it get away because sometimes it takes a while before it comes back,” Texas Manager Ron Washington said.
Los Angeles landed back home at 7 a.m. after Sunday night’s game, and the Astros traveled Monday. Neither team worked out.
“I think that it’s obviously different than a regular-season tough loss,” Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts said. “Obviously the emotions and focus and energy were at an all-time high. But I think that our guys, even on the airplane, just as tough as that was, just looked forward to today, just having an off day, and being ready to win a game on Tuesday.”
Justin Verlander starts for the Astros, tying to win the team’s first title in its 56 seasons. In a rematch of Game 2 starters who did not get a decision, Rich Hill opens for the Dodgers.
Forty-three of the 65 teams with 3-2 Series leads have won the title, including 25 in Game 6. Home teams have won four of the last five Game 6s and 15 of 20.
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