Redemption is theme for these Dodgers

Going into tonight's Game Seven against Houston, the Dodgers' roster is filled with players trying to make the final step to redemption -- World Series champion.

These are players once judged to be not ready for prime time who are now on the sport's biggest stage.

Let's start with Joc Pederson. Pederson came into the majors with a splash, hitting for power and making the All-Stars a few seasons ago. Then his hitting went south. Pitcher's figured out his go-for-broke swing and his numbers plummeted. He lost his spot in the outfield and was banished to the minors. He wasn't on the NLDS roster but Roberts played a hunch and put him on the NLCS roster. Pederson is hitting .316 in the playoffs and has gone yard three times in the Series.

Chris Taylor is another reclamation project. Playing three non-descript seasons with Seattle, Taylor showed no power. He retooled his swing and hit 21 homers this season and has gone yard three times in the post-season. More importantly, Taylor has been the catalyst of this offense at the leadoff spot.

Perhaps the most renowned of the reclamation projects is third-sacker Justin Turner, a journeyman with the Mets who arrived in LA in 2014. Turner also retooled his swing and has evolved into one of the game's leading hitters. Turner hit .322 this season with 21 dingers and has been the heart and soul of the Dodger lineup.

Yasiel Puig, who came on like gangbusters as a rookie in 2013 and in his second season in 2014, started to struggle in 2015. Puig was benched and sent to the minors last year but has come back with a vengeance. Puig had 28 homers and 74 RBI and discovered a new plate discipline. Puig is hitting .302 in the post-season with three homers.

Kike Hernandez, a journeyman outfielder who hit .212 during the regular season, has come alive in the post-season. Hernandez is hitting .302 in the post-season, highlighted by his three home run game against the Cubs.

Charlie Culberson spent most of the season in the minors, toiling in Oklahoma City. Then Corey Seager hurt his back and was left off the NLCS roster. Culberson suddenly found himself on the big stage and has not shrunk from the challenge. After getting only 13 at-bats in the regular season, Culberson is a sizzling 8-for-16 in the post-season and another option for Dave Roberts.

Kenta Maeda spent the regular season in the Dodger rotation, posting a 13-6 record and a 4.22 ERA. Maeda was sent to the bullpen for the playoffs and has responded like a champion. Maeda is 2-0, has appeared in nine games and has an 0.84 ERA as the middle relief anchor for the Dodgers.

Brandon Morrow is the main setup man to get the Dodgers to closer Kenley Jansen. Morrow has spent 11 seasons in the majors and never won more than 11 games as a starter. Morrow has appeared in every playoff game for the Dodgers and in every outing, except for the bizarre Game Five, has shut down his opponents. Solidifying one of the game's best bullpens, Morrow has been the glue for LA relievers.

Logan Forsythe had a disappointing season at the plate, hitting only .224 and making his acquisition from Tampa Bay look like a bust. In the post-season, however, Forsythe has made the trade look like a winner. Forsythe is hitting .294 in the playoffs and has delivered clutch hitting while playing a strong second base.

World Series goes Hollywood

They call it the Fall Classic.

Last year, the Cubs and Indians squared off in a seven-game series that went down to the wire with a dramatic Game Seven win for the Cubs, ending a historic 108-year drought.

Now we get the sequel -- and boy can Hollywood write a sequel.

Their backs to the wall, the Dodgers beat Houston ace Justin Verlander 3-1 on Halloween last night, forcing a Game Seven tonight in Chavez Ravine and a chance to end a 29-year drought.

Rich Hill went 4.2 innings to match Verlander in a 1-1 game the Dodgers broke open in the sixth, when Chris Taylor hit a jammed inside fastball down the right field line to score Austin Barnes, who opened the inning with a single to left.

Corey Seager then scored Chase Utley with a warning track fly out to right and the Dodgers were up 2-1 on Verlander, who was undefeated since joining the Astros at the trading deadline.

Joc Pederson provided an insurance run in the seventh inning with an opposite field home run off reliever Luke Gregorson and the Dodgers held a 3-1 lead going into the eighth frame. Pederson has gone yard three times in the World Series.

After Brandon Morrow, Tony Watson and Kenta Maeda patched together 2.1 innings of shutout ball, Dave Roberts called on Kenley Jansen to provide a six-out save, which he did in stellar fashion, retiring all six batters he faced, three of them on strikeouts.

A key point in the game came in the fifth inning when Roberts called on Morrow to get Alex Bregman with two outs and runners on second and third. Morrow induced Bregman to ground out to Seager at short and the threat was turned away.

Coming on the heels of Sunday's 13-12 extra inning loss in Houston, in which the Dodger bullpen was thrashed, last night's pitching performance by LA relievers justified Manager Dave Roberts' sticking with what got his team to the brink of the first World Series title since 1988.

After crushing it against Arizona and Chicago in the NLDS and NLCS, Dodger bats have been relatively quiet in the World Series. Chris Taylor has been the most timely hitter, coming up clutch when the Dodgers have needed it most.

Chase Utley got the start last night, scoring after being hit by a pitch and making a key defensive play at second base. Cody Bellinger, hitting a paltry .167 in the Series, came up with a critical scoop at first to stave off a Houston rally.

The Dodgers will send Yu Darvish to the hill tonight against Lance McCullers. Expect the entire Dodger pitching staff to be available in relief to try and pin down a championship.