HOUSTON ܫ— Goose Gossage has to be loving this postseason and World Series. The three-inning-plus save is back in all its glory.
A.J. Hin💜ch followed the same script he followed in Game 7 against the Yankees in the 𓃲ALCS when he brought in Lance McCullers Jr. for a four-inning save.
On Friday night, he brought in Brad Peacock for 3²/₃ innings to save McCullers in the Astros’ 5-3 win over the Dodgers at Minute Maid Park in Game 3 o꧒f the World Series to take a💝 2-1 lead.
“Peacock there because he was the right guy at the rig🗹ht spot against that part of the order,’’ Hinch said of his reasoning for bringing in Peacock. “We felt like his strengths matched up against some places we want to exploit in the strike zone. And why keep him in is if we all watched the game, it was pretty obvious, he was cruising. Their swings weren’t good. His fastball was playing, his slider was playing. This postseason, I’ve really enjoyed bringing back the three-inning save. That’s cool.
“There’s no reason to take him out,’’ Hinch said. “He was in complete control of every a📖t-bat. So why not leave h꧃im in?’’
🐭McCullers, who went 5 ¹/₃ innings Friday, loved what he saw from Peacock and noted: “Coming in against the Yankees, I came in after Charlie [Morton], who threw the ball great that game, and really felt like I had the Yankees on their heels a little bit and was able to execute, use a little bit of their aggression against them. And the Dodgers are, like I said, man, they’re as good as it gets. They’re in the World Series for a reason.
“I grinded through every out that I had. Pea’ just absolutely flourished with the opp🅘ortunity. He looked unbelievable.”
McCuller’s save against the Yankees and Peacock’s save against the Dodgers were the first career saves foꦛr both pitchers.
McCullers allowed three runs on four hits💯 while walking four and striking out three to earn the win.
A phone call to McCullers the night before Game 7 against the Yankees 🔴by Hinch might have changed t꧑he fortunes of the Astros. McCullers wanted to start Game 7.
“He was disappointed he wasn’t going to start Game 7,’’ Hinch said. “I called him on my drive hoౠme and wanted him to change his mindset, because we needed him to be good the next day. I told him he didn’t want to start the game, he wanted to finish the game. More than anything I wanted him to go to sleep with a clear mind and with a clear goal of what tomorrow was — I didn’t want him to carry the burden of the disappointment with him, because that wasn’t going to help him be at his best.’’
That call put McCullersꦜ in the right reliever mindset as he completely shut down the Yankees over four innings, ending the game with 24 straight curve balls against Yankees hitters in the 4-0 win.
The Cubs Anthony Rizzo was named the Roberto Clemente Award winner before the game. … The🎶 five home runs hit in extra innings of Game 2 were the most home runs ever hit in a major league game, regular season or postseason.