here's the 1-2. chopper, left side. bregman. what a series defensively, one of his easier plays. one out here in the fourth inning as the dodgers for the first time tonight in game 7 failed to put their leadoff hitter on. welcome inside the broadcast booth, everybody. one out in the bottom of the fourth. i am joe buck. that's the hall of famer john smoltz. pitching has been better for the houston astros in game 7. yu darvish not good in game 3 or tonight. >> john: in this type of game, the execution has been almost flawless for the astros offense where the dodgers have created the same kind of tension but haven't delivered. >> joe: ball outside to austin barnes who grounded out to third. stripling is up in the bullpen. nobody on deck for the dodgers. kershaw's spot follows barnes. that spot will come up with two out, nobody on. here comes kershaw. ethier had a bat in case barnes reached. dave roberts will keep him for later. >> john: joe, my daughter has had a lucky birthday. two games heavens in a row on her birthday. rachel. game sevens, you know they're going to happen from here on out. >> joe: it's kind of a smoltz thing. last year, cubs and indians. game 7 in the alcs. the ankles and astros. happy birthday. to rachel. pitch outside to kershaw from peacock. >> john: it was a similar game last year where the indians worked their way back into it and pulled off almost an epic comeback. the dodgers have the same capability. >> joe: indians got the three run home run from rajai davis off aroldis chapman that tied the ball game. chapman turned in a great ninth inning after the heartbreak of the eighth and set up the cubs to win in the tent, and they di did. >> john: the reason i say that is because their go-to guy for the astros has been missing. they don't have a lock down closer per se. there's multiple ways the astros could finish this game and it will probably done by guys not accustomed to it or comfortable with it, yet alone in a game 7. >> joe: kershaw checks it. 2-2. kershaw will not give up and at-bat. >> john: no. >> joe: he is a grinder. you sent him up to the plate, he's going to try to work his way on base anyway he can. home run hitter chris taylor on deck. 24 home runs this season. including the postseason. 2-2. peacock finished off the third, came in with two on, one out. has a 1-2-3 fourth. the hottest hitter on the planets will lead it off in the fifth. springer 2 for 2 tonight with a double and homer. back after this from your local fox station >> joe: normally for the budweiser game summary, it's what's going on between the two teams. tonight it is what's going on the series. here with george springer. he's the first player with home runs in four straight games in a single world series. he's got five home runs, tied for the most in the single world series in the most from the leadoff spot. 29 total bases, the most for any player in any postseason series all time, let alone world series. >> john: that's pretty impressive. guys who have hit homers in three straight world series road games all time. springer, bonds. my former teammate. hank bauer. >> joe: a great list to be part of for a guy who went 0 fon game 1. >> john: took a walk. got him going and he hasn't looked back. >> joe: he has doubled, homeward tonight. the 0-2 from kershaw. tom verducci, i know you have more on george. >> john: he grew up in new britain connecticut. there was a double-a team for the minnesota twins. he always hung out at the ballpark and one of the minor league players asked him if he wanted to play catch. strike out there. george was in the stands and had a catch with the minor league player. he told me that game of catch changed his life. he went from a kid who liked baseball to a kid who forged the dream of being a major-league player. that player he played catch with, torii hunter. george springer told me he would look into the stands and find a young boy and realize that's why he plays baseball. smiles on the faces of the next generation. >> joe: a ball gets out of the bullpen and comes with the infield. thank you, tom. george springer was an all-star this year, kind enough to join us for an interview from the outfield while he was playing in that game in miami. had a monster season. 34 home runs. nine leadoff home runs, all in the first half. drove in 85. he's the guy who makes this lineup go. it was the top one producing lineup in the major leagues this season. strike one on bregman. >> john: you mentioned the monster first half. he does so much for this club defensively in center. energy, gets guys laughing. he had a playlist in the clubhouse before the game. he said it's the music i grew up on. it was '70s and early to mid-'80s hits. >> joe: the count stays 0-2. >> john: wheelhouse stuff. you get to walk out of the clubhouse feeling old? he said this is the music my parents listened to. >> joe: alex wood getting loose. bregman strikes out. he's fooled. here is the home run for springer. statcast powered by amazon web services. this was the end of the night for yu darvish. >> john: 438 feet, no doubt when it left his bats. it was a matter of how far. that loosened him up even more. >> joe: strike one on altuve. altuve with an rbi ground out in the first. astros got 2 in the first, 3 in the second. second and third run in the second inning on the home run by springer. pop up, right side, foul ball. bellinger. kershaw has allowed only one base runner. bottom of the fifth, halfway through. top of the order coming up for the dodgers when i started taking the chantix that urge just slowly diminished and it was a great and empowering feeling. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. chantix reduced my urge to smoke. when you try to quit smoking, with or without chantix, you may have nicotine withdrawal symptoms. some people had changes in behavior or thinking, aggression, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, or suicidal thoughts or actions with chantix. serious side effects may include seizures, new or worse heart or blood vessel problems, sleepwalking or allergic and skin reactions which can be life-threatening. stop chantix and get help right away if you have any of these. tell your healthcare provider if you've had depression or other mental health problems. decrease alcohol use while taking chantix. use caution when driving or operating machinery. the most common side effect is nausea. i don't even think about cigarettes anymore. ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. many insurance plans cover chantix for a low or $0 copay. name - youin your heade me can you see my skin, my age, my beliefs? 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(gasp) man: whoa! moderator: oh, and the lexus nx. that's insane. moderator: yep, all six of these, and you still wouldn't get everything that's in this equinox. man 2: chevy's raising the bar. woman: six cars in one. man 3: yeah, i like that. man 2: chevy's raising the bar. >> joe: tonight's telecast is sponsored by youtube tv. cable-free live tv is here. and by budweiser who remind you to give a damn. don't drive drunk. beautiful night tonight. the first game 7 in dodger stadium history has been a dud for the home team so far. all the fun for the astros, and the crowd trying to get behind chris taylor and the top of the lineup. fly ball into left. one pitch, as gonzalez goes to it. one out. that will bring in corey seager. came on the air talking about how evenly matched this series was, the two best teams were left. astros from the american league, dodgers from the nl. five of the first six games of this world series have been decided by two runs or less. the exception was game 4 and that was 1-1 going into the ninth. this one has kind of been the outlier, although with the number of twists and turns that a.j. hinch and dave roberts have seen to this point. kind of waiting around for something to happen. >> john: both teams have done what they needed to do. dent the other team's bulletproof scenario. astros basically got in there, dented them, proved they were human, and beat them up for a couple games. then these pas were able to kind of get to verlander. something no one else had been able to do. he hadn't lost on the year. i think this series, when you look back, whatever happens, first and foremost, a.j. trust the man on the mound right now. so much so, that he let him finish a game uncharacteristically. you're going to look back on the lack of contact that's going to come to haunt the dodgers if they don't find a way to rally and win this game. >> joe: 1-2. inside. 2-2. >> john: i am not talking about lack of contact just at the plate with nobody on. i am talking about with runners on and not being able to advance and do the things you do. >> joe: do what houston did in the first two innings. leading 5-0 here in the fifth. out of play. still 2-2. this graphic is where we've been in this series after five innings. we are not through five innings yet. but this is how tight this world series has been and why it's the talk of the sports world here over the last week plus. >> john: it's been fantastic. i don't think anyone could have anticipated 5-0 after two. >> joe: 2-2. >> john: but i don't think anyone's going to anticipate that the dodgers will be shut down all game either, and that's what the astros have been able to do. >> joe: peacock relieved in the third. lance mccullers, jr. went to and a third. no runs on three hits. also chipped in an rbi groundout. 2-2. another foul. seager with a hit tonight, struck out in the first after a leadoff double by chris taylor. hit leading off the third, then turn or by a pitch. two on, nobody out, and the dodgers failed to score. he checked his swing on a pitch down. full count. >> john: good changeup. mccann emphatically pointing to the third base empire. -- third base empire >> joe: a 1-out walk. that will bring in justin turner. we have told the story about a.j. hinch going to his young third baseman alex bregman. comparing what bregman was about to do to the third baseman on the other side, and he said in this series, this world series, he's really got his hands full with a guy like justin turner. to this point, alex bregman offense of late, defensively has been the better third baseman. >> john: he has. he's had a lot of good at-bats. a.j. hinch liked him in the series because of the left-handed starters for the dodgers. it set up welfare bregman. -- it set up well for bregman. >> joe: on the outside corner for a strike. you saw the graphic. hit by a pitch in the first. hit by a pitch in the third. the one in the third by mccullers looked like it hurt him under the shoulder blade, left side of his body. they love him here in l.a. first year of a four year deal. a guy who was nontendered by the mets, came to the dodgers. bench coach here with l.a. when he recommended the dodgers sign him. boy, are they glad they did. >> john: a.j. has double barrel action in the bullpen part he's going to try to get out in front of any kind of issues that might arise, not taking any chances. devinski and liriano. >> joe: turner is a big reason why the dodgers are here. hit .322 in the regular season. division series, against the diamondbacks, .462 with five rbis. nlcs, .333 with seven rbis. hitting .130 with two rbis that both came in game 1 in the sixth inning off i home run on keuchel. >> john: not missing a lot of hittable pitches. the astros have made it a game plan to say we cannot let this guy get hartford other than the two-run homer, he has not. >> joe: he waits for the 1-2. 2-2. dodgers have stranded six. astros have left only one. in the fifth, 5-0 houston here in game 7. boy, a lot of indecision here and another visit from mccann to peacock. they talk, and we will give you a quick word from t-mobile. >> for every home run during the world series, t-mobile will donate $20,000 to hurricane recovery. >> john: the rhythm of the game, there are a lot of moving parts. meetings, changing signs. pressure. >> joe: 2-2. turner hits it down the line but foul. turner had they walk off home run against the cubs in game 2 of the nlcs. on the 29th anniversary of the kirk gibson home run, game 1 of the world series off dennis eckersley. left side. bregman knocked it away from correa. it is first and second with one out here in the fifth. >> john: with seager at first, correa may have had a chance had it not been deflected. his only chance would have been too backhanded and go to second. tip of the glove is all it took for bregman, who has gone to everything. we are going to have another pitching change. >> joe: francisco liriano, who finally got into the world series last night, is the lefty coming in. a.j. hinch will roll the dice here in the fifth with cody bellinger coming up this is red robin. the place where you can get messy. and you never get fry fomo. so feast on 1 of 3 mouthwatering tavern double burgers. only $6.99 each, anytime. with bottomless steak fries, of course. let's burger. red robin! yummm! ♪ i love you so much. we're going to be best friends forever. we're going to go everywhere together and see everything. you know that gx is both of ours, right? don't listen to him. nothing brings out your inner child like the holidays. experience the excitement of the lexus december to remember sales event. experience amazing at your lexus dealer. >> joe: this sunday on fox, we have games headlined by cam newton and the panthers taking on atlanta. seahawks battling the redskins. check local listings for the game in your area. another opportunity here, john, for the dodgers. it is francisco liriano who pitched last night. that's his only work of this world series. to me, cody bellinger has proven he can't hit the right-handed stuff down and in. i don't know if you are not doing him a favor by bringing in a lefty. >> john: this is the only batter liriano will face. >> joe: strike one. >> john: i thought getting him in yesterday was a big part of what a.j. was going to be able to do if he utilized him tonight, and he has. >> joe: bellinger has struck out twice tonight. both times against mccullers. just inside. both times on pitches down and in from the right-hander. now gets a different look. average better against lefties in the regular-season and postseason combined. dodgers need something out of their cleanup hitter. the 1-1. >> john: tracked that one better. down and in probably won't be an issue now with the left-hander, as you mentioned. as the right-handers exploited that right there. that was the curveball and it was an easy game plan for he wasn't adjusting, so you don't have to adjust. now he has a different look. he's trying to get outfield grass somewhere. the ball must touch the outfield grass. >> joe: 2-1. to the right side. altuve fires to second, and that's it. bellinger is 0 for 3. hits into the force-out at second, and the inning will be be -- belong to yasiel puig. we will see if it's against liriano. now morton has joined devinski. and that is it for liriano. one-third of an inning, all zeros as he gets the force-out at second. his night is finished. chris devenski coming in for houston. first and third, and puig coming up >> joe: can jong -- ken jeong was leading the cheers. caitlin olson. kate upton. fiance of justin verlander. larry king is a regular behind home plate. mary hart. sandy koufax, part of the first pitch ceremony here. and now the most important pitch coming from coming from chris devenski. first and third, to two out, fg yasiel puig, who took him deep in game 5. >> john: surprised how patient noncompetitive at-bat first pitch. sometimes you scare the pitcher into throwing a ball, but he's taken those pitches the whole time. >> joe: the 0-1. runners stealing second on a follow back, and now puig is in the hole. here is the game 5 home run. off devenski that made it a rule one-run game in the ninth inning. dodgers will go on to tie it on a two out rbi hits by chris taylor and lost it in the tenth. >> john: that was a changeup. does the memory of devenski throw a fastball or does he feel he can make a better changeup pitch with two strikes against puig. >> joe: first and third. the 0-2. fastball at 96. the only team to overcome a five-run deficit in a world series when facing elimination was 15 years ago. 30 miles down the i-5. 2002 game 6, angels trailed the giants. going into the bottom of the seventh. they won game seven, game john lackey started. >> john: that's hard to do to come back that late, but we've seen it. we've seen a lot of late runs, that's not usually the case against most bullpens in baseball today. >> joe: fourth pitcher of the night for the astros, chris devenski. the 0-2. seager walked in this inning. justin turner had a base hit to go off the glove of bregman. then the pitching change. bellinger bounced into a force-out. he's at first. seager at third, two out. a 1-2 pitch coming to yasiel puig. fouled back, and bellinger was on the move again. >> john: puig is upset at himself. another chance with the passed ball. bellinger moving on the pitch. watch puig's reaction after that pitch right there. >> joe: time was called. bellinger was going to take off again. that's no small piece to the puzzle if there is a pitch out of the strike zone. it looks like they're willing to give second base. nobody covered the last time bellinger took off. we are only in the fifth, a five-run game. devenski calls out mccann. mccann left, then comes back. why don't we give you a quick word from wendy's? >> wendy's has amazing chicken tenders and you can get them for a limited time with fries and a drink for just $5. >> joe: first and third, two out. a 1-2 count on yasiel puig. runner goes on a soft liner caught by gurriel. now the dodgers have stranded eight and hit into a double pla play. we are through five innings in game 7. astros having fun and celebrating. dodgers frustrated. ♪ ♪ ("a bushel and a peck" by doris day) ♪ (laughing) while other insurance companies just see a house, state farm sees the home you've worked really hard for. ♪ so, dathe family up to the lake for the weekend. but without the white knuckles this time. 'cuz his new 2018 ford f-150 has blis with trailer coverage. it's brainiac smart. not only does it watch your f-150's blind spots, it's got your trailer covered too. one less thing to spoil the weekend. no, it can't make the fish bite but maybe they'll work on that. this is the new 2018 ford f-150 it doesn't just raise the bar, pal. it is the bar. >> joe: the pitching has been better tonight for the houston astros. they got the start from lance mccullers, then peacock, then liriano. devenski. the dodgers have been able to put men on but can't bring anybody home. they are 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position. clayton kershaw has been good. he's gone three innings, allowed one hit, struck out four. he has back for more. carlos correa for stuff. sixth inning, 5-0 astros leading here in game 7. >> john: he had a long wait. he had some long waits in houston and he wasn't able to come out and be as sharp as he wanted. usually a long wait means your team has scored. in this case, they didn't. >> joe: strike two. from all of us here at dodger stadium, to don heart -- harta. writing game notes for us. believe me. i can't tell you how smart he's made us all seem over those 18 years. putting together a package for every game, worked so hard. i thank him for all he's done for us and for me. two i think to pitch. left side, base hit. correa is on for the first time tonight. let's go to ken rosenthal. >> ken: the astros had six straight losing seasons, including three straight of at least 106 losses from 2011 22013. this world series, may be this night will be the reward for all their pain. consider george springer, the number-one pick in 2011. 11th pick overall. carlos correa, number one overall pick in 2012. the astros signed him for far below value. >> joe: good play by kershaw off the mound, down to second bird keep going, kenny. it's such a huge part of how the astros got to this game 7. >> ken: the astros signed correa, far less than the value. they were able to grab lance mccullers with their savings. 2013, didn't work out but led to the trade for ken giles. 2015, alex bregman. first rounder, second pick overall. joe, the draft isn't the entire story with the astros but it's a big part of the story. >> joe: no doubt. homegrown players, the stars in the postseason. >> john: what they did even better is the ability to change their roster for the better. what i mean by that is, there's a lot of ways they were going about in their quest to get here and were failing. too many strikeouts. relievers weren't as important. now they add a veteran in mccann, a veteran in beltran. they now have the influence with the young player, the veterans, and they've taken strikeouts out of there line appeared a huge adjustment by the front office to get to this point. >> joe: mccann with a good rift but in the hole. 24 of 27 astros home runs in this postseason have been hit by homegrown players, and that's what you are talking about. strikeout percentage and where they rank across major league baseball. look at that jump to first this year. >> john: that hasn't happened since 1918. that far last in the bottom five to go to first. it's an impressive jump. >> joe: they also have a manager in a.j. hinch who's in his third year, got the astros to the postseason in 2015. a smart guy. he can talk analytics with you all night but he will also go with his gut and go with his eyes. he's a good mix and a steady hand guiding the team. he's done a really good job this postseason getting the astros this far. he has his team leading game 7. ground ball right side, tough play. wow, what a play by forsythe. to the third is correa, as forsythe went a mile and made a long throw to get mccann. two out. >> john: you are not kidding. this is not a typical shift out. look how far he is and look how far he's got to go. when he throws, he's got to throw off balance but he's got a shortstop throw instead of a second baseman throw as far as distance. right on the money to bellinger. >> joe: tremendous play. and now an intentional walk tomorrow in gonzalez. -- tim marwin gonzalez they're going to bring gattis up. >> john: on the flip side, this team has been assembled for the dodgers in a different way. a lot of depth, interchangeable parts. their bullpen has been their strength. their starters have been fantastic. that's the reason why dave roberts and his staff have been able to win the most games in the national league. yes, they have the highest payroll in baseball. that definitely helps. >> joe: what happened here is an intentional pass to marwin gonzalez. two guys on deck. gattis was the first to grab a bat and batting helmets, and he will be the one to hit for reddick. first and third, two out. the pitcher's spot would follow and that would be cameron maybin if it gets there. gattis gets a chance to face the left-hander kershaw. and they are going to walk gattis. back to intentional passes, and bring up maybin. >> john: that his confidence in your man on the mound that letter, he's going to throw strikes. a matchup he likes a little better which forces a.j. to go to another pitcher. >> joe: he brings maybin to the plate, and in so doing, it ends the night for devenski. one-third of an inning. all zeros. he got the soft liner off the bat of puig with runners at the corners to end the fifth. here is maybin. bases loaded, two out. kershaw trying to keep it a 5-run game. strike one. maybin is one for back to in this world series with a stolen base in the game to win here at dodger stadium. out in front of it. pop up on the infield for turne turner. clayton kershaw, who did not handout any intentional walks all year, hands out two in the sixth. astros strand the bases loaded. they lead by 5. bottom of the sixth rosen and so does charlie morton [ barks ] it's go time. woohoo! sir, the kids need you. later lobster. 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"mom says it is totally natural..." $25 is nothing. abracadabra, bro. the bank of america mobile banking app. the fast, secure and simple way to send money. >> joe: welcome back to the world series presented by youtube tv. bottom of the sixth inning. joc pederson will lead off. kershaw has done his best. he's kept it where it was when he entered back in the third. here is charlie morton. base hit into center. cameron maybin just pinch-hit and was intentionally walked. flied out to end the top of the sixth is there to field it, and pederson is on. yet again, springer goes to right, the pitcher will batch in the number eight spot. dodgers put their leadoff man on. that has not been the problem. >> john: it hasn't. but the alarm clock goes off for some reason in the sixth inning here at home. the dodgers have put a two spot on in the sixth inning and every game here in the world series at home. they're hoping to do that here. >> joe: strike one from morton. charlie morton was terrific in his start in game 4. 6 1/3 heard 6 1/3. one run. on relief here in game 7. astros 5. 97 but low. one ball, one strike. >> joe: went from sinking into power fastball. four same. good breaking ball. a strike two. you saw austin barnes on deck. it would be kershaw's spot. with that, kenley jansen is getting loose here in the sixth inning with the astros about to bring all those right-handed bats up in the seventh. the top of the order. >> john: you almost feel like that's what dave roberts has to do. first and foremost, his offense is going to have to give him a reason to get excited. >> joe: forsythe checked it. speedy relief appearances made by starters this postseason, there is not a small example. there's actually a large exampl example. the reliever-hybrids have a better era than the traditional relievers in their role in the postseason. >> joe: martin almost hit him with that pitch inside. full count. 3-2. mccann is going to out to the mound. >> john: this will change in the future, i promise. when you prepared to pitch a game 7, i was fortunate enough to do three of them. you realize as a starting pitcher, it's the longest game you will ever pitch. mentally that is so much to deal with. that's not the case today. game 7 is a crazy kind of interesting game set and mind-set. >> joe: 3-2. he walked him. two on with nobody out for the dodgers in the sixth. >> john: pretty good pitch but just maybe on the outside part of the strike zone. good take. 3-2. dodgers go again, but the differences they have the different part of their lineup coming up. bellinger has been up with most of the damage that could have been done with runners on, has not gotten a hit. taylor is a much different hitter in this situation. >> joe: bellinger, the cleanup hitter, has left six on. >> john: barnes, if they can get to the top of the lineup where taylor is, you've got to like the dodgers feeling they will have a run or two on the board. >> joe: single and a walk, and now austin barnes. the number eight hitter and catcher. takes a strike from charlie morton. first year of a two year deal for morton. pirate last year, one year with philadelphia. tore his hamstring. had a career year, had much better stuff in 2017 with houston. the 0-1. strike two. mccann out to talk again. dodgers are 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position. the last team to start a world series game 70 for 10, the '79 pirates who actually beat the orioles. here is the 0-2. >> john: pretty good pitch. called ball one. morton is 98 and down in the bottom tier of the strike zone. mccann wanted up, so the way he caught it with the globe going down, presented at lower than it may be is. >> joe: a 1--2 two barnes. off the end of the bat, pop up on the infield. infield fly rule in effect. one out. now 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position are the dodgers. they ask for something out of the longest tenured dodger, andre ethier. he joined the organization in ' '05. missed the majority of the season with a bad back. >> john: professional hitter, been around. would love to extend it on, turn it to the top of the lineup. if you can get to the top of the lineup with less than two outs, dodgers and dave roberts are going to like their chances getting really close in this game. >> joe: how good was clayton kershaw? four innings, did not allow a run. two hits, two intentional walks in four strikeouts. etheir hitting for him. all one. --