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.