Chris Taylor starts Dodgers' first World Series game in 29 years with first-pitch homer
LOS ANGELES — The party started early here Tuesday, as Dodgers fans were hyped for the first World Series game in 29 years a half hour before the first pitch was thrown. As it turned out, that was just a warm-up for what would happen when the Dodgers saw their pitch of the series.
Center fielder Chris Taylor blasted that pitch from Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel almost out of Dodger Stadium. It looked like one of the fighter jets that did a fly over Dodger Stadium during the National Anthem. It was the first blow in a 3-1 win for the Dodgers as they took a 1-0 lead in the series.
And the same fans who were screaming 30 minutes before first time, lost their minds as Taylor rounded the bases. The ball flew 447 feet, quite a blast for a lead-off man. It came after Dodgers’ starter Clayton Kershaw set down the Astros on nine pitches in the top of the first. So lots to be happy about in the first inning at Dodger Stadium. And the sell-out crowd certainly was.
If a lead-off homer in the World Series seems familiar, it’s because the last World Series game played — Game 7 of the 2016 series — started with a homer by Dexter Fowler. It wasn’t too long ago that it happened in a Game 1 too. Two years ago in Kansas City, Alcides Escobar hit an inside-the-park home run to start the World Series for the Royals. That was the third World Series Game 1 lead-off homer in MLB history. Taylor’s was the fourth.
The Royals and Cubs won both those series — if you’re wondering, Dodgers fans.
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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz
