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LOS ANGELES — It’s Joctober and we’re all witnesses, even if the final game of the season is in November. Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson continued his October resurgence with yet another home run in Tuesday’s 3-1 win over the Astros, pushing the World Series to a Game 7.
Pederson gave the Dodgers an insurance run in the seventh inning against Joe Musgrove, his third of the series. The only Dodger to hit more home runs in a single World Series was Duke Snider, who clubbed four home runs in both 1952 and 1955.
“He continues to come up with big hits,” manager Dave Roberts said. “That was a huge hit by Joc. And he continues to amaze us and put together good at-bats.”
Consecutive World Series games with an extra-base hit
| Player | Team | Year(s) | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Year(s) | Games |
| Al Simmons | A's | 1929 | 5 |
| Pepper Martin | Cardinals | 1931 | 5 |
| Lou Gehrig | Yankees | 1928-32 | 5 |
| Pete Fox | Tigers | 1934-35 | 5 |
| Hank Bauer | Yankees | 1957-58 | 5 |
| Reggie Jackson | Yankees | 1977-78 | 5 |
| Amos Otis | Royals | 1980 | 5 |
| Joc Pederson | Dodgers | 2017 | 5 |
| George Springer | Astros | 2017 | 5 |
While circling the bases, Pederson was celebrating. “A lot of emotions hit me quickly,” he said.
“That says it all. It’s what’s so great about sports,” said Rich Hill. “You see that true, raw emotion when that home run was hit, it was incredible.”
Pederson has an extra-base hit in each of the last five games, tying the World Series record last done by Amos Otis in 1980. Astros center fielder George Springer, who homered in Game 6, also tied the record on Tuesday.
It has been a wonderful turnaround for Pederson, who spent nearly three weeks in Triple-A Oklahoma City in August and September to work on his swing.
“It was very humbling, and I needed to go learn how to hit, basically,” Pederson said. “I’ve still got a lot of work to do, but it’s encouraging to see some of the process and all the hard work turn into some results in the game.”
With three home runs and two doubles in this World Series, Pederson is one shy of Snider’s club record of six extra-base hits, set in 1952.
Pederson has a hit and a run scored in each of his five games in this Fall Classic, just the second player to do so in each of his first five World Series games. Lee May of the Orioles turned the trick in 1970.
Victory formation
Tony Watson got the win in relief on Tuesday. He also won Game 4 in Houston, making this just the seventh time a Dodgers pitcher has won two games in a single World Series. Watson is the third relief pitcher to do it, joining Hugh Casey (1947) and Larry Sherry (1959). Sherry also saved two games against the White Sox and was named series MVP.
Watson has a 2.57 ERA in his 11 appearances this postseason, and opposing batters are just 5-for-25 (.200) against him.
Ethier sets record
Andre Ethier flew out to left field as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning. It was his 50th career playoff game, surpassing shortstop Bill Russell for the most postseason games in Dodgers franchise history.
Hill’s gesture
Dodger Stadium was quite loud in Game 6, mostly cheering for the home team, but the 54,128 in attendance turned their ire on Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel, who was suspended five games of the 2018 season for his racist gesture toward Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish.
Both times he faced Gurriel, Hill took extra time getting back on the mound, letting the boos rain down a little bit longer.
“That’s a subject that’s disheartening. I think it’s something, unfortunately, I don’t think the punishment fit the action,” Hill told reporters after the game. “Rightfully so, the fans spoke out and understood what was going on. I gave them their time to voice their opinion.”