All eyes turned to the Houston Astros’ bullpen.
This line is not a setup. This October has not been kind to the Astros’ bullpen, but this was a very different kind of spectacle.
There was a sudden, unwanted and quite possibly inebriated new occupant in the bullpen. The guy had jumped on in, from a seat in Section 52 on the field level, and the Astros jumped on out of their dugout to see just what was going on in their bullpen.
A quick takedown, as it turned out. And, on the kind of hot fall night that can spawn the devil winds in Southern California, the beleaguered Astros bullpen absorbed more than a fair share of hits, but still not as many as the vaunted Dodgers bullpen.
An umpire absorbed a hit too, meaning an umpire and not a pitcher recorded the save for the first World Series victory in Astros history.
The last Houston pitcher, the one credited with the victory, was a local kid. Chris Devenski grew up in Cerritos, played at Cal State Fullerton, and once played at Dodger Stadium with a youth team called the Indy Clowns.
Bring on the Clowns, indeed. But not for long, at least not for the clown that jumped in from the stands and was overcome so quickly by security guards and Astros personnel that Houston reliever Brad Peacock had to watch a video of the incident on a smartphone to see just what had happened. The clown was on his way out by the time Peacock could scramble out of an enclosed area.
“I’m right there,” he said, pointing to a tiny image on a reporter’s cellphone.
The Astros were down two runs, and five outs from being down two games to the Dodgers in the World Series. They tied the score with a run-scoring single in the eighth inning and a home run in the ninth against Kenley Jansen, baseball’s best closer.
Jansen had not given up a run in one month and three days. If the Astros’ offense could open the door against Jansen, perhaps the Astros’ bullpen could shut the door, for a change.
The Astros’ starters have a 3.30 earned-run average in the postseason. The relievers have a 4.91 ERA, and they have given up 10 home runs in 40 innings.
Ken Giles, the Astros’ closer, protected a 3-3 tie in the ninth. The Astros took a 5-3 lead in the top of the 10th, but Giles could not finish the inning. The Dodgers tied the score on a home run, a two-out walk, a wild pitch and a single.
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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) Giles’ postseason ERA jumped to 9.45. His last 26 batters: 14 outs, 12 baserunners.
“My confidence is not damaged,” he said. “I flat out need to execute.”
Devenski replaced Giles, with the potential winning run on second. Devenski whirled and threw to second, but the pickoff throw was so wild that it knocked down the umpire, Laz Diaz.
If Diaz were not there, Enrique Hernandez might have scored from second base. Astros manager A.J. Hinch thought back to the third inning, when a ball caromed off the cap of Dodgers center fielder Chris Taylor directly to left fielder Joc Pederson, costing the Astros at least an extra base and maybe an inside-the-park home run.
“I felt like the baseball gods were returning the favor, by having an umpire standing in the way there,” Hinch said.
Devenski got that last out in the 10th. When the Astros scored twice in the top of the 11th, Devenski gave up one in the bottom of the 11th.
The Astros had survived.
“I’m going to have a heart attack,” Peacock said.
Maybe an evening on the edge will get the Astros’ bullpen back on track, since little else seems to have worked.
In the meantime, the Astros’ relievers could regale themselves with stories about the dude who got crushed after he landed in the bullpen.
“He got mugged by a bunch of security officers,” said a Los Angeles Police Department officer stationed by the bullpen. “He didn’t do much.”
The Astros still have their worries. They have used their two best starters. Their closer is a high-wire act. Their bullpen might have its weak spots, but repelling a guy from Section 52 is not one of them.
“We’ve got some crazy dudes down there,” Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel said. “That was the least of my worries.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2017 World Series
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