The game was won. By extension, the series was too.
Only for the unthinkable to happen.
The indestructible machine broke down. The everlasting force unraveled. The Dodgers bullpen blew a lead.
“I’m just human,” Kenley Jansen said. “I’m not a machine.”
He’s right.
The 11-inning, 7-6 defeat to the Houston Astros was a function of the Dodgers demanding too much of their bullpen too many times. Whoever is in your bullpen, however dominant they are, ask your relievers to cover four or five innings on a regular basis and what happened to the Dodgers on Wednesday night is bound to happen.
This was the same bullpen that pitched 112/3 innings in a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks in a National League division series. This was the same bullpen that covered 172/3 innings in five games against the Chicago Cubs in the Championship Series.
The group’s astounding performance masked the difficulty of the assigned task on virtually every night. Only three times in their previous nine games did the relievers have to pitch fewer than three innings.
The Dodgers are comfortable with that kind of game. Manager Dave Roberts is comfortable with that kind of game.
This was how the Dodgers managed their pitchers last postseason. And this is how they managed their pitchers this postseason, with even greater success. The relievers extended their scoreless streak to 28 innings on this night.
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Astros center fielder George Springer celebrates his two-run home run against the Dodgers in the 11th inning of Game 2.
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A Dodger fan watches Houston win Game 2 of the 2017 World Series 7-6 in the 11th inning to even the series at a game apiece at Dodger Stadium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Fans at Dodger Stadium react as Houston wins a Game 2 thriller, 7-6, in 11 innings.
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George Springer exults after his 11th-inning home run.
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Disappointed Dodgers fans.
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Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig strikes out to end the game.
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A happy Houston Astros fan at Dodger Stadium.
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George Springer and Cameron Maybin celebrate after a two-run homer by Springer off Dodgers reliever Brandon McCarthy in the 11th inning.
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Dodgers fan Ethan Czypinski, 7, of San Dimas wears his baseball glove under his World Series hat while watching a tense Game 2 at Dodger Stadium.
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Kenley Jansen turns toward the outfield after giving up a game-tying homer to Astros left fielder Marwin Gonzalez in the ninth inning.
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The throw to Astros catcher Brian McCann is too late as Dodgers second baseman Logan Forsythe scores in the 10th inning on a single by Enrique Hernandez to tie the Game 2 score at 5-5.
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Yasiel Puig sits with his head in his hands after not being able to catch what turned into a ground-rule double off the bat of Astros third baseman Alex Bregman during the seventh inning.
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Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig throws his glove in anger after not being able to catch a ground-rule double by Astros third baseman Alex Bregman.
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A fan watches Houston take a 7-6 victory in 11 innings on Wednesday night.
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Dodgers reliever Brandon McCarthy paces behind the mound as Astros center fielder George Springer circles the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the 11th inning.
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Dodgers left fielder Charlie Culberson celebrates as he circles the bases after hitting a home run in the 11th inning to cut the Dodgers’ deficit to 7-6.
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Dodgers fans wave souvenir towels as they cheer on the Dodgers from the top deck section during Game 2 of the 2017 World Series.
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With his glove ready in the left field pavilion, a Dodgers fan cheers on the Dodgers while watching Game 2 of the 2017 World Series at Dodger Stadium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers second baseman Logan Forsythe scores the tying run in the bottom of the ninth inning after a hit by Enrique Hernandez.
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Chris Taylor can’t get to a home run by Houston’s Marwin Gonzalez during the ninth inning of Game 2.
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Fan Angel Rodriguez of East Los Angeles wears his Dodgers pride on his face while watching Houston win 7-6 in the 11th inning to even the series.
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Astros shortstop Carlos Correa greets teammate Marwin Gonzalez after he hit a solo home run off Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen in the ninth inning to tie the score, 3-3, and force extra innings.
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Corey Seager reacts after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning against Astros pitcher Justin Verlander.
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Dodger fans cheer in the left field pavilion as Corey Seager hits a two-run homer in the sixth inning for a 3-1 Dodgers lead in Game 2 of the 2017 World Series against the Astros at Dodger Stadium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodger fans cheer in the left field pavilion as Corey Seager hits a two-run homer in the sixth for a 3-1 Dodgers lead in Game 2 of the 2017 World Series at Dodger Stadium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Andrew Vialpando, center, cheers with other Dodgers fans while watching the World Series at The Short Stop in Echo Park.
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Corey Seager lets out a yell as he hits a two-run home run against Houston starting pitcher Justin Verlander in the sixth inning.
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Dodgers left fielder Joc Pederson celebrates after hitting a solo home run, which broke up Justin Verlander’s no-hit bid and tied the score, 1-1.
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Dodgers left fielder Joc Pederson connects for a solo home run against Houston’s Justin Verlander.
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Chris Taylor is tagged out by Astros shortstop Carlos Correa in the fourth inning.
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Dodger starter Rich Hill watches as Justin Turner throws to first base after fielding Justin Verlander’s sacrifice bunt in the third inning.
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Rich Hill delivers a pitch during the first inning of Game 2. Hill would work four innings, giving up one run on three hits, all in the third inning, while striking out seven.
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Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes catches a foul ball hit by Astros third baseman Alex Bregman during the first inning.
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Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig catches a fly ball hit by Astros shortstop Carlos Correa with his tongue out during the first inning of Game 2.
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Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes falls the ground after catching a foul ball hit by Astros third baseman Alex Bregman during the first inning.
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Actor Jason Bateman yells at Astros shortstop Carlos Correa during the first inning.
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Fernando Valenzuela, Vin Scully and Steve Yeager walk off the field after the ceremonial first pitch before Game 2.
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The crowd cheers after honoring Vietnam veterans while country music star Brad Paisley sang the national anthem before Game 2.
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Dodgers legends Vin Scully, left, and Fernando Valenzuela throw out the first pitch before the start of Game 2.
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Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig sports a new dye job before the start of Game 2.
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Dodgers ace Clayotn Kershaw meets with country singer Brad Paisley before the start of Game 2.
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, share a light moment before the start of Game 2.
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Dodgers outfielder Enrique Hernandez, right, shares a light moment with hitting coach Turner Ward before the start of Game 2.
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Dodgers fan Wendy Perez, of Los Angeles, holds up 7-month-old son Ezra Perez, her “lucky charm,” in the upper level before watching the Dodgers play the Astros in Game 2.
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A Corey Seager fan watches an Astros pitcher work out in the bullpen before Game 2.
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Mike Eliason, dressed in a Justin Turner wig, high-fives Dodgers fans before Game 2.
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Dodgers fan Robbie Tabares, 6, of Whittier takes in the view of his first World Series from the upper deck.
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Dodgers fans take photos before watching the Dodgers play the Astros in Game 2.
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Dodgers season-ticket holder Gilbert Romero sports his Dodgers sombrero and beads in upper deck before the start of Game 2.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) If the trademark of Dodgers baseball was a workhorse starting pitcher, it’s now an assembly line of relievers emerging from bullpen to retire a couple batters before handing over the responsibility to the next man.
“It was just one of those games that just ran out of outs,” Roberts said.
The velocity of every pitch thrown at Dodger Stadium is shown on the video scoreboard above the right-field pavilion, with a virtual flame appearing behind Nos. 95 and higher. The middle of the hexagonal display was constantly ablaze Wednesday night. Justin Verlander was pitching for the Astros.
With his fastball touching 98 mph, Verlander had a perfect game through three innings and a no-hitter through four, at which point the Astros were ahead 1-0.
The Dodgers had no illusions of Rich Hill matching Verlander inning for inning or pitch for pitch. But they believed they could match Verlander’s individual brilliance with numbers.
So with the top of the Astros order due up in the fifth inning, Roberts didn’t hesitate to replace Hill. The Astros have five consecutive right-handed hitters coming up. Roberts turned to right-hander Kenta Maeda.
And the plan worked, at least temporarily.
The Dodgers leveled the score 1-1 on a homer by Joc Pederson in the fifth inning. Maeda pitched 11/3 scoreless innings. Left-hander Tony Watson entered the game in the sixth and preserved the stalemate by forcing Brian McCann to ground into an inning-ending double play.
The Dodgers went ahead for the first time in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run homer by Corey Seager. The Dodgers had the Astros where they wanted.
The game started to look like many of the Dodgers’ games this month, with Roberts choosing one favorable matchup after another.
Everything went according to plan through seven innings.
Roberts said he considered calling on Jansen at that point, but he went back to Brandon Morrow, who pitched the seventh inning. Morrow’s entry into the game was expedited by Ross Stripling’s inability to record an out.
Morrow gave up a double to Alex Bregman.
“I just felt Bregman had a really good at-bat against Kenley last night,” Roberts said. “I felt if Brandon can get Bregman, then I was going to go to Kenley then.”
Jansen entered the game to attempt a six-out save with a man on second base instead. Jansen said he didn’t mind. He pitched more than an inning 14 times in the regular season.
Bregman scored later in the inning on a single to center field by Carlos Correa. The Dodgers’ advantage was down to 3-2.
In the ninth inning, Jansen served up a leadoff homer to Marwin Gonzalez. The game was headed for extra innings. Jansen intended to throw the cutter up and in.
“It was flat, down the middle,” he said.
This is where the game turned scary for the Dodgers. Roberts had already deployed his most dependable relievers. He was forced to put the game in the hands of pitchers he wanted to use in low-leverage situations.
Josh Fields gave up consecutive homers to Jose Altuve and Correa in the 10th inning.
The Dodgers tied the score, only to have to call on Brandon McCarthy to pitch the 11th. McCarthy hadn’t pitched in the postseason. A starting pitcher, McCarthy was added to the roster for this round with this situation in mind. But his lack of activity showed and he served up a two-run homer to George Springer.
Jansen said he wouldn’t let the outcome affect him in the future. He said his teammates wouldn’t be affected, either.
“I’ll be back, ready for Game 3,” he said.
The Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2017 World Series
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