Justin Verlander Hopes To Keep Los Angeles From Taking A 2-0 Lead In Game 2 Of The World Series

While Los Angeles won game one behind a spectacular outing from Clayton Kershaw there is a pitcher on the other end of the spectrum for Houston  that would like to contain Los Angeles and keep them from taking a 2-0 lead in game two Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium  and his name is Justin Verlander.

On the whiteboard in the Dodgers' clubhouse, someone had scrawled a plan prior to Tuesday's Game 1 of the Fall Classic. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

"Hit these boys in their mouths & don't look back!" the message read. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

The Dodgers more than delivered in their 3-1 victory, riding a vintage Clayton Kershaw and huge homers from Justin Turner and Chris Taylor to a 1-0 lead in the World Series presented by YouTube TV. For a club that hadn't advanced to the Fall Classic in 29 years, it was a perfect performance that went to script. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

Now it's up to the Astros to flip the script, to even this thing up before it heads to Houston. It's time for Justin Verlander to enter the scene and perform his part in the plot as Game 2 awaits tonight (7:30 p.m. ET air time, 8 ET game time on FOX). "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

Opposing Rich Hill, who is bound to follow the breaking ball-heavy pitch pattern that worked so well for Kershaw in the opener, Verlander has his work cut out for him against a Los Angeles team that has outscored opponents 51-20 while going 8-1 this October. It won't be easy -- the Dodgers are a perfect 5-0 at Dodger Stadium this October. The Astros have yet to win a World Series game in their history (0-5), and they could sure use one here. Teams that go down 0-2 in the Series have come back to win it just 11 times in 54 tries. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

"Every game is sort of a must-win," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "I wanted to get out of here with a sweep, and now that's not going to happen. So we come back [tonight]. We get prepared to face Hill. Verlander, he's one of our best, if not our best the last couple of months he's been an Astro. So we'll certainly ride him out." "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

Houston acquired Verlander seconds before the August waiver trade deadline for a moment like this. He has been nails this October, pitching the Astros back from the brink against the Yankees in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series presented by Camping World and going 4-0 with a 1.46 ERA in 24 2/3 innings over four postseason appearances (three starts and one relief outing). "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

"I think the mental focus is just at another level," Verlander said. "I think it's something that would be easy to say, 'Why don't you just do that every game?' It's unsustainable throughout the course of the regular season. If you were that mentally focused, you'd just burn out. It's just another level. I don't know how to really explain it." "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

Of course, Verlander will also need help from the bats, which went quiet again against Kershaw after breaking out in those final two home games of the ALCS. Kershaw, Brandon Morrow and Kenley Jansen combined to limit the Astros to just one run (an Alex Bregman solo shot) on three hits with zero walks in Game 1. Uncharacteristically, they struck out a dozen times. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

What that means is Hill was given an awfully good game plan to follow. In the aftermath of Game 1, there was some grumbling on the part of the Astros (namely Bregman and Jose Altuve) that Kershaw had gotten some "marginal" (as Bregman put it) strike-zone calls. But the bottom line is Kershaw pounded the zone and kept Houston off balance with the offspeed stuff. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

Hill hopes to build off an October in which he's limited the opposition to a .188 average and build off the momentum established by Kershaw's zone-pounding, bat-missing ways. Kershaw threw 83 pitches (57 strikes) in Game 1, including 44 offspeed pitches (32 sliders and 12 curves). "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

"The way he attacked the strike zone speaks to [Game 2]," Hill said. "I think that's what everybody's going to see out of me is the aggressiveness right out the gate, going right at these guys. That's a good ballclub over there, and, in order to make them swing the bats, you've got to stay aggressive." "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

As tends to be the case, the curve figures to feature prominently in Hill's mode of attack against the Astros. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

"You are in an environment where you have to go with your best pitch," Hill said. "And if your best pitch happens to be a breaking ball, you've got to go with your best, right?" "according tohttp://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

The Dodgers brought their best to Game 1, continuing their ownership of October. But a 1-0 deficit is not exactly a mental deterrent to an Astros team that already came back from much more daunting developments in the ALCS. There is pressure on Houston to regroup from what Kershaw wrought and even this thing up. The Astros might have been "hit in the mouth," as the whiteboard said, but they've got a pretty good chance to punch back with Verlander on the hill. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171024259584886/verlander-out-to-keep-la-from-2-0-series-lead/?game_pk=526512

As for Houston and Los Angeles World Series opener Los Angeles won it with an excellent outing from Clayton Kershaw.

Los Angeles left-hander Clayton Kershaw was outstanding  in game one of the world series as he dominated Houston.

Pitching just like the legend sitting in the second row at Dodger Stadium, Sandy Koufax, left-hander Clayton Kershaw overwhelmed the explosive Astros with 11 strikeouts in seven dazzling innings on Tuesday night, and Justin Turner slugged a tiebreaking two-run homer off Dallas Keuchel for a 3-1 Dodgers win in the opener of the World Series. "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

The two-hour, 28-minute game -- the quickest in Fall Classic history since Game 4 of the 1992 Series (2:21) -- gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in this best-of-seven World Series presented by YouTube TV, with Game 2 here on Wednesday night. The winner of Game 1 has gone on to win 25 of the past 29 World Series, and 62.5 percent of the Series overall. "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

Turner's sixth-inning home run -- hit using a lighter bat than he used his first two plate appearances -- followed a two-out walk to Chris Taylor, who opened the bottom of the first by launching Keuchel's first pitch 447 feet for his third postseason homer. "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

"I think CT is the hero," Turner said of his co-MVP of the National League Championship Series presented by Camping World. "He got us on the board early. He drew the two-out walk, stayed in the zone and gave me the opportunity. That's what he's been doing for us all year long. He's the spark plug at the top of the lineup, and when he goes, we go.""according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

Before the game, someone had scrawled a plan on the whiteboard in Los Angeles' clubhouse. "Hit these boys in their mouths & don't look back!" the message read. The Dodgers did just that. "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

"Taylor hit a first-pitch four-seamer out of the yard, kind of hit us in the jaw," Keuchel said. "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

"We recovered nicely. I knew we would scratch a run, maybe two, off of Kershaw, but he was as good as advertised. It was one pitch away from being 1-1 going into the seventh. We're trying to win one of two here, so hopefully we'll come out tomorrow and get a win." "according tohttp://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

In this postseason, Turner has bolstered his case as one of the great October producers of his generation with four homers (one shy of Davey Lopes' club record), a franchise single-season record of 14 RBIs and 26 career postseason RBIs, tying Duke Snider's franchise record. "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

"He's that guy you want up there in the big moments," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Turner. "He doesn't scare off." "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

Los Angeles' first World Series appearance in 29 years began with a 103 degrees at first  pitch  but the heat didn't bother Kershaw, who in his World Series debut allowed only three hits and a run on Alex Bregman's home run leading off the fourth."according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

"Tonight was one of those nights I think the first time in a while, where we've seen all three of his pitches synced up," said Roberts. "He just was repeating the delivery, held the velocity. Was throwing the baseball where he needed to, where he wanted to." "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

Kershaw, in a franchise-record-setting seventh postseason victory, didn't walk a batter, and the 11 strikeouts were tied for the most by a Dodger in a World Series game since Koufax's 15 in Game 1 in 1963 against the Yankees. They also were the most for any pitcher in the World Series since the Yanks' Orlando Hernandez had 12 in 2000, and the most strikeouts by any one pitcher against the Astros this year. The only other pitcher with 11 strikeouts and no walks in a World Series game was current Dodgers executive Don Newcombe (1949), who also was in attendance Tuesday night. "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

"I think this team is a really good hitting team," Kershaw said. "They hit a lot of homers and don't strike out. There's little room for error. So it's important for me to establish pitches, be able to throw multiple things for strikes, and thankfully I was able to do that tonight. "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

"I made a few mistakes. Obviously Bregman got me , then threw one down the middle to Carlos Correa  that he popped up; that could've gone a long way, too. So for the most part, though, I'll take it. "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

"And then two big swings, [Taylor] just getting that monkey off our back, getting that first run across is huge. [Turner] just doing what he does, just keeps getting clutch hit after clutch hit. Just trying to make that two-run lead stand up." "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

Brandon Morrow pitched the eighth inning and Kenley Jansen the ninth for the save. Jansen has begun his postseason career with 12 consecutive save conversions, the most since saves became an official stat in 1969. The Dodgers' bullpen has thrown a postseason record 25 consecutive scoreless innings. Los Angeles relievers have allowed three runs over 30 2/3 innings in the postseason. "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

Kershaw said he told Roberts he had another inning in him after throwing only 83 pitches, but the manager went to this October's best bullpen. "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

"You know with our bullpen, it doesn't matter," Kershaw said. "So I told him I was good to go, but how can you argue with what [Morrow] and Kenley are doing back there? They proved it tonight once again." "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

The Astros fell to 1-5 on the road this postseason, compared with 6-0 at Minute Maid Park. Their latest road defeat also dropped the franchise to 0-5 in World Series games."according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

"Sometimes you have to tip the hat to the other team," Houston second baseman Jose Altuve said. "I think that's the case today. You have to tip your hat to Clayton. He made quality pitches since the first inning. It was really tough to hit him. He did a really good job." "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

Taylor turned on the first pitch of the game thrown by Keuchel and sent it 447 feet into the left-field seats, joining Don Buford (1969), Dustin Pedroia (2007) and Alcides Escobar ('15) as the only players to connect on a leadoff homer in Game 1 of the World Series. Taylor's homer is the second-longest dinger tracked by Statcast™ this postseason, behind only Willson Contreras' 491-foot blast in Game 4 of the NLCS. "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

"I never expected that," Keuchel said. "This is their house and they play well here, so I expected something to happen. I didn't expect that to happen. I expected myself to get the job done. I regrouped pretty quickly. That was the first pitch of the first inning, so there was a lot of game left. We're a good team for a reason, we're here for a reason, but this was a tough one to swallow." "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

Keuchel's two-out walk to Taylor in the sixth -- the only walk he issued -- proved costly. That set up Turner, who blasted a 1-2 pitch to left field for a two-run homer that put the Dodgers ahead, 3-1. Keuchel hadn't allowed two homers in a game since May 5 against the Angels in Anaheim. Turner has reached base safely in all nine games this postseason, and he has hit safely in 24 of his past 25 playoff games (since Game 1 of the 2015 NL Division Series). "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

"Not too many guys can have that pedigree and be the kind of man he is. And I'm thankful that I've gotten to hang out with him for a little while." -- Kershaw, on his relationship with Koufax "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

"He's Clayton Kershaw, man. He's been like that his whole career." -- Altuve "according to http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/259587014/dodgers-homers-back-clayton-kershaw-in-game-1/

With the win Los Angeles takes a 1-0 lead in the World Series.

Los Angeles and Houston will play game two Wednesday night  at Dodger Stadium.

Right -hander Justin Verlander will get the start  for Houston. He has a record of 15-8 with a 3.36 earn run average. The 2017 ALCS MVP held the Yankees to one earned run over 16 innings to record one of the finest single -series pitching performances ever, but Verlander hopes to shake off his career 7.20 ERA in three World Series starts with the Detroit  Tigers. He will oppose Los Angeles left-hander Rich Hill who has a record of 12-8 with a 3.32 earn run average. The lefty makes his first World Series start after pitching in independent ball as recently as 2015. While Hill didn't exceed five innings in either of his first two postseason starts , he allowed only three runs on six hits combined in those outings. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/astros-vs-dodgers/2017/10/25/526512#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=526512

First pitch is set for 8:09pm. "according to http://www.espn.com/mlb/game?gameId=371025119 The game will be televised on Fox. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/astros-vs-dodgers/2017/10/25/526512#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=526512