When it ended, the one thought I had was that I had no thoughts. In my life as a sports fan, I've realized every dream. There are so few firsts, but this was one. The first time I could enjoy a World Series win. More than anything, that is what I wanted from this series. A win. Not a series win. A game win. The Dodgers are a great team. I have no animus towards them. I just wanted a win. I got one, and it was worth the wait.
That was, almost unquestionably, the greatest non-elimination game in World Series history. It felt too good for just a Game #2. But for someone who just wanted a solitary win, it was everything. At so many points, I felt myself think that I have seen this all before. When it was 3-1 through 7 innings, after a beautiful home run by Corey Seager, I felt I had seen the same script the day before, a late 2-run home run by a Dodgers superstar to put the game out of reach.
When I saw the Astros draw level in the 9th off of a home run by a utility player (though a damn good one in Marwin Gonzalez), I remembered Game 2 of the 2005 World Series, when the Astros tied the game at 6 late off of a two-run double by utility man Jose Vizciano.
When I saw Ken Giles blow it in the 9th, even after a 'rally killing' home run by Yasiel Puig, I remebered all the times in 2005 that Brad Lidge, an unhittable closer with a dynamic fastball and audacious slider, blew it - including that same Game 2, when Lidge blew it giving up a walk-off home run to Scott Podsednik.
But when Springer gave the lead back to Houston, I felt a new feeling. One I hadn't experienced before. Not one of elation, but one of resilience. My team came back against the best bullpen in baseball, against the best closer in baseball, then took the lead. Then blew it, in front of a raucous LA crowd, and fought back again. And almost blew it again. The game was that good. That series has been and should be that good.
I don't know where to start, but the best moments were the back-to-back home runs by Altuve and Correa, the lifeblood of that team all year long. The MVP, and the MVP-to-be. They flexed their muscles. But the Dogers are too good. Just too good. There is some Yankees-like mystique there. The Puig home run - his resurrection this year being like the 10th best part of the game. The perfect throw and the perfect tag nearly catching the perfect slide, but Logan Forsythe got in there and swiped home plate to send it back.
It makes sense, in a way, that it is George Springer with the game winning hit. He was the guy on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 2014, when they had a cover saying the Astros will win the 2017 World Series. He was the first Top-10 pick, the guy drafted in 2011, by the previous GM, the last gift Ed Wade gave the Astros, potentially the only gift he gave them.
Baseball is a special game, becomes the moments are so sudden, but so memorable. They break the at times monotonous flow of the game. But the time that those monotonous moments covers build up energy, build up anticipation, build up emotion. And then they explode in these moments, like Marwin Gonzalez's game tying home run. Or Altuve and Correa, who had a bat-flip for the ages. Or Puig, continuing to build an indelible legacy. Or Kike Hernandez, doing the same. This was incredible.
To be honest, I have no idea what to say. My team never wins games like that. My team won a game like that. They become the first team to hit 3 HRs in a playoff game in extra innings. The Dodgers became the first team to lose a playoff game hitting 2 HRs in extra innings. Before tonight, there have been 17 HRs in extra innings ever in the World Series. Tonight, that number went up by 5. Baseball, just baseball.
That was, almost unquestionably, the greatest non-elimination game in World Series history. It felt too good for just a Game #2. But for someone who just wanted a solitary win, it was everything. At so many points, I felt myself think that I have seen this all before. When it was 3-1 through 7 innings, after a beautiful home run by Corey Seager, I felt I had seen the same script the day before, a late 2-run home run by a Dodgers superstar to put the game out of reach.
When I saw the Astros draw level in the 9th off of a home run by a utility player (though a damn good one in Marwin Gonzalez), I remembered Game 2 of the 2005 World Series, when the Astros tied the game at 6 late off of a two-run double by utility man Jose Vizciano.
When I saw Ken Giles blow it in the 9th, even after a 'rally killing' home run by Yasiel Puig, I remebered all the times in 2005 that Brad Lidge, an unhittable closer with a dynamic fastball and audacious slider, blew it - including that same Game 2, when Lidge blew it giving up a walk-off home run to Scott Podsednik.
But when Springer gave the lead back to Houston, I felt a new feeling. One I hadn't experienced before. Not one of elation, but one of resilience. My team came back against the best bullpen in baseball, against the best closer in baseball, then took the lead. Then blew it, in front of a raucous LA crowd, and fought back again. And almost blew it again. The game was that good. That series has been and should be that good.
I don't know where to start, but the best moments were the back-to-back home runs by Altuve and Correa, the lifeblood of that team all year long. The MVP, and the MVP-to-be. They flexed their muscles. But the Dogers are too good. Just too good. There is some Yankees-like mystique there. The Puig home run - his resurrection this year being like the 10th best part of the game. The perfect throw and the perfect tag nearly catching the perfect slide, but Logan Forsythe got in there and swiped home plate to send it back.
It makes sense, in a way, that it is George Springer with the game winning hit. He was the guy on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 2014, when they had a cover saying the Astros will win the 2017 World Series. He was the first Top-10 pick, the guy drafted in 2011, by the previous GM, the last gift Ed Wade gave the Astros, potentially the only gift he gave them.
Baseball is a special game, becomes the moments are so sudden, but so memorable. They break the at times monotonous flow of the game. But the time that those monotonous moments covers build up energy, build up anticipation, build up emotion. And then they explode in these moments, like Marwin Gonzalez's game tying home run. Or Altuve and Correa, who had a bat-flip for the ages. Or Puig, continuing to build an indelible legacy. Or Kike Hernandez, doing the same. This was incredible.
To be honest, I have no idea what to say. My team never wins games like that. My team won a game like that. They become the first team to hit 3 HRs in a playoff game in extra innings. The Dodgers became the first team to lose a playoff game hitting 2 HRs in extra innings. Before tonight, there have been 17 HRs in extra innings ever in the World Series. Tonight, that number went up by 5. Baseball, just baseball.
