Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel has an explanation for what we saw during the regular season and what has continued throughout the playoffs.
The 2017 regular season was a historic one for Major League Baseball. The 6,105 home runs hit were more than any other season. That trend continued during Game 2 of the World Series.
On Wednesday, there were a whopping eight home runs during the Astros’ 7-6 victory over the Dodgers, which was a World Series record for a single game. Afterward, Keuchel seemed convinced it had to do with the baseballs being juiced.
"I think the balls are juiced, 100%," Dallas Keuchel said. "Major League Baseball wants to put on a show." 8 HR tonight=World Series record.
— Tyler Kepner (@TylerKepner) October 26, 2017
If Major League Baseball wanted to put on a show, it was mission accomplished on Wednesday. Game 2 was almost universally lauded as a classic.
Marwin Gonzalez hit a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game. In the top of the tenth inning, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa hit back-to-back home runs go give the Astros a two-run lead. The Dodgers answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game once again. In the top of the eleventh, George Springer hit a two-run home run to give Houston a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, although Charlie Culberson hit a solo home run of his own in the bottom of the inning to bring Los Angeles to within one.
With the series tied 1-1, we are guaranteed at least three more games. Based on how the first two games have unfolded, that appears to be a win for Major League Baseball.
