Clayton Kershaw got off to a hot start in the 2017 World Series. So did Los Angeles. And it all happened in a hurry.
World Series Game 1, explained in 9 stats
Clayton Kershaw dominated. Justin Turner homered. But these numbers tell the story of the Dodgers’ win over the Astros.
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
The Los Angeles defeated the Houston Astros, 3-1, in Game 1 Tuesday night thanks to a dominant outing from Kershaw — one that earned him comparisons to legends like Sandy Koufax and Don Newcombe — and a pair of timely home runs from his teammates. The winner of the opening game has gone on to win 25 of the past 29 World Series.
Here are nine numbers that tell the story:
100+
It was a record-setting 103 degrees for first pitch at Dodgers Stadium for the eighth-ever matchup between 100-win teams in the World Series. The National League champion Dodgers won 104 games during the regular season. The American League champion Dodgers racked up 101 victories.
1
Dodgers left fielder Chris Turner deposited the very first pitch from Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel into the left-field stands for a leadoff home run and a 1-0 lead for the hosts.
7
Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw went seven innings to pick up the win. The 29-year-old left-handed ace allowed just one run on three hits. After Kershaw departed, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts turned to Brandon Morrow and Kenley Jansen to secure the 3-1 win.
83
Kershaw threw 83 pitches over seven innings, with 57 of them being strikes.
17
Kershaw threw first-pitch strikes to 17 of the 24 batters that he faced over his seven frames.
3
Kershaw allowed just three hits. In the top of fourth inning, he surrendered the most damaging of those knocks. Astros third baseman Alex Bregman took a 93-mph fastball deep to even the score 1-1.
14
Justin Turner notched his 13th and 14th RBI of the 2017 postseason with a tie-breaking, two-run homer in the sixth inning off Keuchel. The game-winning blast from the bearded third baseman established a new single-postseason RBI record for the Dodgers.
11
Kershaw recorded 11 strikeouts in his first career World Series start. The three-time Cy Young Award winner notched five swinging strikeouts and six looking. This made him the first Dodgers pitcher with 10+ K’s in a World Series game since Sandy Koufax in 1965. By racking up all of his strikeouts without issuing a walk, Kershaw also matched a feat accomplished previously only by Don Newcombe.
2:28
Game 1 was wrapped up in a crisp 2 hours and 28 minutes, making it the shortest World Series game since 1992.
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