2017 World Series- Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Houston Astros

• 2017 World Series- Game 7
  Los Angeles Dodgers vs Houston Astros
  Dodger Stadium
  11/1/2017
  
  
  What a wild year.  The Dodgers started off a bit slow, then quickly went on an absolute tear this year.  I think at one point they won 45 of 50 games, it was nuts.  Then the end of July/August hit and it was as if the walls came crumbling down.  They lost 14 games in a row if I am not mistaken (they weren’t in jeopardy of losing the NL west, but it looked bad) and other teams around the league started to catch up like the Astros and Indians. As a Dodger fan I obviously wanted them to have the best record in the league so they could have home field advantage throughout the playoffs (not that they got rid of that ridiculous rule that the division winner of the all-star game dictated home field advantage.  Luckily the boys in blue pulled things together the end of the regular season and finished with the best record, and all they could do is wait to see who they would play after the one game wild card game. 
  
  
  Fast forward to blowing by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 3 games and had a hard fought series vs last years champs, the Chicago Cubs, it was either going to be the Yankees or Astros in the series.  I along with most of the LA fan base was hoping for the Yankees.  Yes they are a storied franchise, yes they are the winningest team in World Series history, but their line up is not as intimidating.  They have flashes of brilliance but Houston won over 100 games for a reason.  So when the ‘Stros came out with the victory I had a sick feeling in my stomach. 
  Game one was amazing, we looked confident behind Kershaw and came away with the win.  Game 2…heartbreak.  Houston came away with lest second heroics getting a homer in the 9^th to tie it up, and then LA losing 6-7. Game 3 the Astros took the lead in the series winning 5-3.  Game 4 the Dodgers lit them up in the 9^th for a 6-2 crushing.  Game 5…even more heartbreak.  This time even worse than game 2 because we came back so many times to lose in extra innings 12-13.  A must win game six had the Dodgers outplaying Justin Verlander for a 3-1 win.  It all came down to game seven, one that set me back $1400!
  
  
  I’ll say this, there really was no way I was going to miss a possible world series clinching game for the Dodgers.  I was 10 when they last won, but I have been listening/watching games since I was a tot.  My grandfather use to religiously watch the Dodgers and I don’t remember a time I went into his garage in the summer without the game on and Vin Scully’s voice floating in the air.  I planned the games according to possibilities.  Meaning, I bought plane tickets and got hotel rooms for Houston for games 4 and 5 (no tickets purchased).  I knew if we couldn’t clinch I had a bit of time to cancel each.  So slowly I got rid of a flight, then a room, then the rest of the trip as the Dodgers had no chance to clinch in Houston.  I didn’t buy game six tickets, just hoping while I watch from my seat at home I could get a chance to see them win on November 1^st.  My dreams came true and next thing I knew I was on the freeway at 1pm trying to beat San Diego, Orange County, and LA traffic to get to the game on time.  I showed up around 4:45 with a game time start of 5:20.  It was weird, I have been to several championship games and there was a buzz in the air like this is ours!  At the Kings, people were excited.  At the Galaxy, it was if we knew we were going to win.  I didn’t get that feeling at Dodgers stadium.  It was a bit subdued, the fans were antsy, and for good reason…Darvish was on the mound.  He was obtained from the Rangers as a playoff pitcher but was spotty at best in the regular season and sucked in the post season.  In fact he only lasted 2 innings in his previous start.  But what are you going to do, our aces were on rest and he was up next.  What a fatal flaw…
  
  
  I don’t know much about pitching.  I realize there are split minute decisions for the hitters to see the ball coming at them, but the pitchers control everything.  I never heard of a pitchers tell like poker, but apparently Darvish has one and the Astros knew it.  Apparently he held his hand in place in the mitt for fastballs, and moved it around for curves.  The first few batters knew this an capitalized fast.  In fact Springer got a hit and was immediately on 2^nd.  Within 2 innings that Dodgers were down 5!  The entire stadium was in shock.  We cheered, but halfheartedly.  We screamed, but without passion.  If we got a run or two in the first 3 innings I think the attitude would have been completely different, but LA stranded so many people on base.  In fact, we have the bases loaded and got nothing from it.  I could go into the hits from the Astros and the lone HR, I could talk about how Kershaw came in and didn’t allow a run, but really it all came down to Darvish.  Blowing the game in the first inning set the tone for the night and the Dodgers never recovered.  A single run brought a little life into the stadium but not enough.  When the final out was pitched and the Astros ran onto the field, it was as if everyone was relieved.  We just sat through 3 hours of misery, paid tons of money to be at this game, and our team failed us.  Not by a little, by a lot.  No one hit, no big plays, nothing…  I stuck around the stadium for about an hour afterward to get pictures of the winning team, tried to find a ticket stub (no way, apparently the dodgers made season ticket holders pay a ransom for printed tickets so no one got them), but mainly I was trying to avoid traffic getting out of the stadium.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I will say this, I am glad I went because it was an experience.  Not one I want to see or feel again, but you can’t win them all.  Also, if I can take any positive away from the game I saw a team win the World Series and that knocked off the third championship from my fantasy list.  Now I just have basketball and the Super Bow to go.  But man, it would have been amazing to see the Boys in Blue win at home…
  Fun part of the day.  This is true Dodger fans at their finest.  I brought a couple of beers to possibly tailgate with fellow fans.  I noticed no one was hanging around their cars and cops all over the place, so I figured it was banned.  But just in case I asked this gangster looking dude if we could tailgate and his response, “Na man, not after that fat fuck got his ass kicked”.  Pretty much sums us up…ha!  By the way, Dodgers lost 5-1…