Reporting from Houston — When the Dodgers swept the Yankees in the 1963 World Series, manager Walter Alston used four pitchers. Total. In the whole Series.
Don Drysdale pitched a shutout, Sandy Koufax had two complete games and Johnny Podres needed reliever Ron Perranoski to get the final two outs in Game 2.
The Dodgers are just three games into this World Series and manager Dave Roberts has already gone to his bullpen 15 times. The only pitcher on the 12-man staff who hasn’t appeared against Houston is left-hander Alex Wood, who is scheduled to start Game 4 on Saturday.
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Wood will take the mound with two goals in mind: Pitch well enough to even the Series and pitch long enough to give Dodgers relievers a rest.
“Alex is going to have to go deep,” Roberts said. “It’s up to Alex to go out there and set the tone. We’ve just got to go out there and pitch well out of the gate.”
Six Dodgers relievers have pitched at least twice in the Series; Brandon Morrow has appeared in all three games. With Roberts pulling starter Rich Hill after four innings in Game 2 and Yu Darvish after five outs in Game 3, the bullpen has pitched 13 1/3 innings in the back-to-back losses to Houston.
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“When your starter goes five outs, you’ve got to find a way to cover some innings,” Roberts said.
Everyone but Kenta Maeda, who pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Darvish, will be available Saturday, Roberts said. Yet the more he goes to his bullpen, the more the Astros become favorites with a relief corps that hasn’t been seen nearly as much.
Houston manager A.J. Hinch said that gives the Astros an added advantage.
“The quicker you can get into a bullpen, the more looks you get at a guy, the more comfortable guys are,” he said. “That doesn’t guarantee success the next time. Whether it’s fatigue, whether it’s pitch recognition, just being more familiar with their bullpen, that’s helpful now.”
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The Astros have three relievers who haven’t appeared in the Series, and two others who have faced just three batters each.
“It’s about leverage,” Hinch said. “[Roberts] has been trying to match up, but I think our players have responded into the competition and put up some good at-bats at key times. It doesn’t make Game 4 any easier. It’s still an elite bullpen.”
It could also be a tired one. Dodgers relievers hadn’t allowed a run in 28 innings going to the eighth inning of Game 2. Then the bullpen imploded, with four pitchers combining to give up six runs on seven hits in five innings.
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Dodgers’ from left, Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Chase Utley and Brandon Morrow meet on the mound in Game 3.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger walks back to the dugout after striking out in the fourth inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers’ from left, Yasmani Grandal, Josh Fields, Clayton Kershaw and Kenta Maeda stand during Astro introductions before Game 3.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Astros closer Brad Peacock is all smiles after shutting the Dodgers out in 3 2/3 innings and striking out four.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers starter Yu Darvish leaves the game in the second inning after surrendering four runs to the Astros.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Yuli Gurriel hits a second-inning leadoff homer off of Dodgers starter Yu Darvish. Video of Gurriel making an apparent racist gesture in the dugout after the homer surfaced on social media during the game.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Justin Turner of the Dodgers walks back to the bench after popping up against the Astros in the eighth inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig sits quietly in the dugout during Game 3 of the World Series.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Yasiel Puig of the Dodgers chases a ball that goes foul.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The Dodgers’ Corey Seager loses his helmet as he runs the bases on a hit by Justin Turner in the sixth inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish, center, watches the game form the dugout in the ninth inning. Darvish started the game but was relieved in the second inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish stands on the mound during the second inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Yasiel Puig of the Dodgers strikes out in the ninth inning against the Astros.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The Astros’ Jose Altuve tags out the Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig, who was trying to reach second base on a hit in the fourth inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes bobbles the ball as the Astros’ Marwin Gonzalez scores a run in the second inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel is greeted by teammate Carlos Correa after homering in the second inning against Dodgers starter Yu Darvish.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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A dour group of Dodgers watch from the dugout as a pop foul sails overhead in Game 3.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. raises a fist to fans as he leaves the game in the sixth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes can’t make the tag on the Astros’ Josh Reddick at home plate in the fifth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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The Dodgers Justin Turner scores on a wild pitch by Astros reliever Brad Peacock in the fifth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers’ catcher Austin Barnes can’t make the tag on the Astros’ Josh Reddick at home plate in the fifth inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish walks off the field after being taken out of the game in the second inning.
(Tom Pennington / Getty Images)
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Astros’ center fielder George Springer makes a diving catch to save a run off the bat of the Dodgers’ Chris Taylor in the fifth inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The Astros’ Jose Altuve tags out Dodgers Yasiel Puig, who was trying to reach second base on a hit in the fourth inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, left, relays to first base in time to complete a double play after forcing out the Dodgers’ Chris Taylor.
(Larry W. Smith / EPA)
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Yasiel Puig is tagged out by Astros second baseman Jose Altuve after trying to stretch a single into a double during the 4th inning of game 3.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager can’t reach a bloop single by Astros catcher Brian McCann during fourth-inning action.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodger Austin Barnes sits after Astro Josh Reddick scores from first base on an error in the fifth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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The Houston Astros’ Yuli Gurriel celebrates his home run as Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes watches during the second inning.
(Matt Slocum / AP)
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The Houston Astros’ Yuli Gurriel is congratulated by George Springer after hitting a home run during the second inning.
(David J. Phillip / AP)
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Yu Darvish looks to the outfield as Yuli Gurriel homers in the second inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Yuri Gurriel hits a second-inning leadoff home run off Dodgers starter Yu Darvish in game 3.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers centerfielder Chris Taylor chases down a first-inning double by Astros leadoff hitter George Springer.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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The Dodgers’ Logan Forsythe singles in the top of the second inning.
(TANNEN MAURY / EPA)
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The Dodgers’ Yu Darvish pitches during the first inning.
(Jamie Squire / AP)
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A giant American flag is held on the field as the national anthem is performed.
(Tim Bradbury / Getty Images)
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Fans gather along the third base line during pregame warmups before Game 3 of the World Series at Minute Maid Park.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers fans chant and clap in support of the players warming up on the field before Game 3.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Yasiel Puig plants a kiss on his hitting coach Turner Ward during intorductions before Game 3 of the World Series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Joc Pederson heads to batting practice before Game 3 of the World Series at Minute Maid Park.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez watches batting practice before Game 3.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers players shag balls in the outfield before Game 3.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The bullpen was much better Friday, yielding an unearned run in 6 1/3 innings. None of the five relievers had a clean inning, but Roberts was pleased nonetheless.
“I think our guys in the pen did a fantastic job,” he said. “It’s just a matter of now getting hits with runners in scoring position.”
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The Dodgers went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position Friday and are 1 for 14 (.071) in the World Series.
“It’s just guys going out of the strike zone,” Roberts said. “You look at the opportunities that we did have and pitchers seemed to go to their secondary [pitches].
“When we are at our best, or any offense is at their best, they stay disciplined in the strike zone. Right now we’re chasing a little bit more than we usually do.”
Kevin Baxter writes about soccer and hockey for the Los Angeles Times. He has covered seven World Cups, five Olympic Games, six World Series and a Super Bowl and has contributed to three Pulitzer Prize-winning series at The Times and Miami Herald. An essay he wrote in fifth grade was voted best in the class. He has a cool dog.
