LOS ANGELES -- From laughingstock to lift off.
George Springer and the Houston Astros climbed to baseball's pinnacle Wednesday night, winning the first World Series championship in franchise history by defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in Game 7.
Playing for a city still recovering from Hurricane Harvey, and wearing an H Strong logo on their jerseys, the Astros brought home the prize that had eluded them since they started out in 1962 as the Colt .45s.
"I always believed that we could make it," All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve said. "We did this for them."
For a Series that was shaping up as an October classic, Game 7 quickly became a November clunker as Houston scored five runs in the first two innings off an ineffective Yu Darvish. Hardly the excitement fans felt during the Cubs' 10-inning thriller in Cleveland last fall.
Well, except for everyone wearing bright orange.
"We're coming home a champion, Houston," Springer said after accepting the World Series MVP trophy named this year after Willie Mays for the first time.
Altuve, one of four carry-overs from a club that lost an embarrassing 111 times in 2013 after switching from the NL to the AL, and this collection of young stars silenced Dodger Stadium from the get-go.
Normally a starter, Charlie Morton finished up with four stellar innings of relief for the victory.
"We held down a really tough lineup," Morton said. "For my teammates, for the city of Houston, it's just unbelievable."
Springer led off the evening with a double against Darvish, and soon it was 2-0.
Springer hit his fifth home run -- tying the Series mark set by Reggie Jackson and matched by Chase Utley -- when he connected for a record fourth game in a row, making it 5-0 in the second.
That was plenty for Houston Manager A.J. Hinch. He pulled starter Lance McCullers Jr. soon after the curveballer crazily plunked his fourth batter of the game, and began a parade of four relievers that kept the lead as the Astros overcame a shaky postseason bullpen.
"I knew yesterday I didn't have much," McCullers said. "I knew I didn't have much to give other than to gut it out as long as I could."
Forever known for their space-age Astrodome, outlandish rainbow jerseys and a handful of heartbreaking playoff losses, these Astros will be remembered as champions in their 56th season.
The club that wears a star on its hat also filled out the Texas trophy case. Teams from the Lone Star State had won most every major crown -- Super Bowl, NBA and NHL titles, college football championships, and men's and women's basketball -- except the World Series.
Built on the skills of homegrown All-Stars Carlos Correa, former Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Dallas Keuchel and more, and boosted by the slick trade for Justin Verlander, General Manager Jeff Luhnow completed the ascent that some predicted.
There was the Sports Illustrated cover in 2014 -- after Houston had lost more than 100 games for three consecutive years -- that proclaimed: "Your 2017 World Series Champs" and featured a picture of Springer in a bright Astros jersey.
Houston won 101 times this year to take the AL West, then won Games 6 and 7 at home in the AL Championship Series. The Astros joined the 1985 Royals as the only clubs to win two Game 7s in the same year.
For the Dodgers, the quest to win a Series for the first time since 1988 fell short. They led the majors with 104 victories and a $240 million payroll, yet it didn't pay off for part-owner Magic Johnson or Manager Dave Roberts.
Longtime ace Clayton Kershaw provided four shutout innings of relief for Los Angeles, but it was too late.
After Springer lined a leadoff double, Alex Bregman hit a bouncer that first baseman Cody Bellinger threw past Darvish for an error, allowing a run to score. Bregman aggressively stole third and scored on Altuve's grounder, and it was 2-0 after eight pitches.
A double by Marwin Gonzalez helped set up perhaps McCullers' biggest contribution, a slow grounder for his first professional RBI. Springer followed with a no-doubt, two-run drive into the left-center field bleachers.
That was the Series-most 25th home run in a Major League Baseball season that set a record for home runs. It was easily enough for the Astros to offset pinch-hitter Andre Ethier's RBI single in the Los Angeles sixth.
Only once have the Dodgers clinched a crown at home, that coming in 1963 when Koufax outpitched Yankees star Whitey Ford to finish a sweep. They've never won Game 7 of the Fall Classic at their own park, dating more than a century ago to their days on the streets of Brooklyn as the Trolley Dodgers.
As pockets of Houston fans got louder and louder in the later innings, the crowd at Dodger Stadium was left to repeat the sad, but hopeful cry that used to echo in Brooklyn: Wait till next year.
Now, it's just 106 days until pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
MLB World Series Winners
SEASON;WINNER;LOSER;SERIES
2017;Houston Astros;Los Angeles Dodgers;4-3
2016;Chicago Cubs;Cleveland Indians;4-3
2015;Kansas City Royals;NY Mets;4-1
2014;San Francisco Giants;Kansas City Royals;4-3
2013;Boston Red Sox;St. Louis Cardinals;4-2
2012;San Francisco Giants;Detroit Tigers;4-0
2011;St. Louis Cardinals;Texas;Rangers;4-3
2010;San Francisco Giants;Texas;Rangers;4-1
2009;NY Yankees;Philadelphia Phillies;4-2
2008;Philadelphia Phillies;Tampa Bay Rays;4-1
2007;Boston Red Sox;Colorado Rockies;4-0
2006;St. Louis Cardinals;Detroit Tigers;4-1
2005;Chicago White Sox;Houston Astros;4-0
2004;Boston Red Sox;St. Louis;Cardinals;4-0
2003;Florida Marlins;NY Yankees;4-2
2002;Anaheim Angels;San Francisco Giants;4-3
2001;Arizona Diamondbacks;NY Yankees;4-3
2000;NY Yankees;NY Mets;4-1
1999;NY Yankees;Atlanta Braves;4-0
1998;NY Yankees;San Diego Padres;4-0
1997;Florida Marlins;Cleveland Indians;4-3
1996;NY Yankees;Atlanta Braves;4-2
1995;Atlanta Braves;Cleveland Indians;4-2
1993;Toronto Blue Jays;Philadelphia Phillies;4-2
1992;Toronto Blue Jays;Atlanta Braves;4-2
1991;Minnesota Twins;Atlanta Braves;4-3
1990;Cincinnati Reds;Oakland Athletics;4-0
1989;Oakland Athletics;San Francisco Giants;4-0
1988;Los;Angeles;Dodgers;Oakland Athletics;4-1
1987;Minnesota Twins;St. Louis Cardinals;4-3
1986;NY Mets;Boston Red Sox;4-3
1985;Kansas;City Royals;St. Louis Cardinals;4-3
1984;Detroit Tigers;San Diego Padres;4-1
1983;Baltimore Orioles;Philadelphia Phillies;4-1
1982;St. Louis Cardinals;Milwaukee Brewers;4-3
1981;Los Angeles Dodgers;NY Yankees;4-2
1980;Philadelphia Phillies;Kansas;City Royals;4-2
1979;Pittsburgh Pirates;Baltimore Orioles;4-3
1978;NY Yankees;Los Angeles Dodgers;4-2
1977;NY Yankees;Los Angeles Dodgers;4-2
1976;Cincinnati Reds;NY Yankees;4-0
1975;Cincinnati Reds;Boston Red Sox;4-3
1974;Oakland Athletics;Los Angeles Dodgers;4-1
1973;Oakland Athletics;NY Mets;4-3
1972;Oakland Athletics;Cincinnati Reds;4-3
1971;Pittsburgh Pirates;Baltimore Orioles;4-3
1970;Baltimore Orioles;Cincinnati Reds;4-1
1969;NY Mets;Baltimore Orioles;4-1
1968;Detroit Tigers;St. Louis Cardinals;4-3
1967;St. Louis Cardinals;Boston Red Sox;4-3
1966;Baltimore Orioles;Los Angeles Dodgers;4-0
1965;Los Angeles Dodgers;Minnesota Twins;4-3
1964;St. Louis Cardinals;NY Yankees;4-3
1963;Los;Angeles;Dodgers;NY Yankees;4-0
1962;NY Yankees;San Francisco Giants;4-3
1961;NY Yankees;Cincinnati Reds;4-1
1960;Pittsburgh Pirates;NY Yankees;4-3
1959;Los Angeles Dodgers;Chicago White Sox;4-2
1958;NY Yankees;Milwaukee Braves;4-3
1957;Milwaukee Braves;NY Yankees;4-3
1956;NY Yankees;Brooklyn Dodgers;4-3
1955;Brooklyn Dodgers;NY Yankees;4-3
1954;NY Giants;Cleveland Indians;4-0
1953;NY Yankees;Brooklyn Dodgers;4-2
1952;NY Yankees;Brooklyn Dodgers;4-3
1951;NY Yankees;NY Giants;4-2
1950;NY Yankees;Philadelphia Phillies;4-0
1949;NY Yankees;Brooklyn Dodgers;4-1
1948;Cleveland Indians;Boston Braves;4-2
1947;NY Yankees;Brooklyn Dodgers;4-3
1946;St. Louis Cardinals;Boston Red Sox;4-3
1945;Detroit Tigers;Chicago Cubs;4-3
1944;St. Louis Cardinals;St. Louis Browns;4-2
1943;NY Yankees;St. Louis;Cardinals;4-1
1942;St. Louis Cardinals;NY Yankees;4-1
1941;NY Yankees;Brooklyn Dodgers;4-1
1940;Cincinnati Reds;Detroit Tigers;4-3
1939;NY Yankees;Cincinnati Reds;4-0
1938;NY Yankees;Chicago Cubs;4-0
1937;NY Yankees;NY Giants;4-1
1936;NY Yankees;NY Giants;4-2
1935;Detroit Tigers;Chicago Cubs;4-2
1934;St. Louis Cardinals;Detroit Tigers;4-3
1933;NY Giants;Washington Nationals;4-1
1932;NY Yankees;Chicago Cubs;4-0
1931;St. Louis Cardinals;Philadelphia Athletics;4-3
1930;Philadelphia Athletics;St. Louis Cardinals;4-2
1929;Philadelphia Athletics;Chicago Cubs;4-1
1928;NY Yankees;St. Louis Cardinals;4-0
1927;NY Yankees;Pittsburgh Pirates;4-0
1926;St. Louis Cardinals;NY Yankees;4-3
1925;Pittsburgh Pirates;Washington Nationals;4-3
1924;Washington Nationals;NY Giants;4-3
1923;NY Yankees;NY Giants;4-2
1922;NY Giants;NY Yankees;4-0
1921;NY Giants;NY Yankees;5-3
1920;Cleveland Indians;Brooklyn Robins;5-2
1919;Cincinnati Reds;Chicago White Sox;5-3
1918;Boston Red Sox;Chicago Cubs;4-2
1917;Chicago White Sox;NY Giants;4-2
1916;Boston Red Sox;Brooklyn Robins;4-1
1915;Boston Red Sox;Philadelphia Phillies;4-1
1914;Boston Braves;Philadelphia Athletics;4-0
1913;Philadelphia Athletics;NY Giants;4-1
1912;Boston Red Sox;NY Giants;4-3
1911;Philadelphia Athletics;NY Giants;4-2
1910;Philadelphia Athletics;Chicago Cubs;4-1
1909;Pittsburgh Pirates;Detroit Tigers;4-3
1908;Chicago Cubs;Detroit Tigers;4-1
1907;Chicago Cubs;Detroit Tigers;4-0
1906;Chicago White Sox;Chicago Cubs;4-2
1905;NY Giants;Philadelphia Athletics;4-1
1903;Boston Americans;Pittsburgh Pirates;5-3
At a glance
World Series MVPs
2017 George Springer, Houston (AL)
2016 Ben Zobrist, Chicago (NL)
2015 Salvador Perez, Kansas City (AL)
2014 Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco (NL)
2013 David Ortiz, Boston (AL)
2012 Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco (NL)
2011 David Freese, St. Louis (NL)
2010 Edgar Renteria, San Francisco (NL)
2009 Hideki Matsui, New York (AL)
2008 Cole Hamels, Philadelphia (NL)
2007 Mike Lowell, Boston (AL)
2006 David Eckstein, St. Louis (NL)
2005 Jermaine Dye, Chicago (AL)
2004 Manny Ramirez, Boston (AL)
2003 Josh Beckett, Florida (NL)
2002 Troy Glaus, Anaheim (AL)
2001 Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson, Arizona (NL)
2000 Derek Jeter, New York (AL)
1999 Mariano Rivera, New York (AL)
1998 Scott Brosius, New York (AL)
1997 Livan Hernandez, Florida (NL)
1996 John Wetteland, New York (AL)
1995 Tom Glavine, Atlanta (NL)
1994 No Series
1993 Paul Molitor, Toronto (AL)
1992 Pat Borders, Toronto (AL)
1991 Jack Morris, Minnesota (AL)
1990 Jose Rijo, Cincinnati (NL)
1989 Dave Stewart, Oakland (AL)
1988 Orel Hershiser, Los Angeles (NL)
1987 Frank Viola, Minnesota (AL)
1986 Ray Knight, New York (NL)
1985 Bret Saberhagen, Kansas City (AL)
1984 Alan Trammell, Detroit (AL)
1983 Rick Dempsey, Baltimore (AL)
1982 Darrell Porter, St. Louis (NL)
1981 Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager, Los Angeles (NL)
1980 Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia (NL)
1979 Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh (NL)
1978 Bucky Dent, New York (AL)
1977 Reggie Jackson, New York (AL)
1976 Johnny Bench, Cincinnati (NL)
1975 Pete Rose, Cincinnati (NL)
1974 Rollie Fingers, Oakland (AL)
1973 Reggie Jackson, Oakland (AL)
1972 Gene Tenace, Oakland (AL)
1971 Roberto Clemente, Pittsburgh (NL)
1970 Brooks Robinson, Baltimore (AL)
1969 Donn Clendenon, New York (NL)
1968 Mickey Lolich, Detroit (AL)
1967 Bob Gibson, St. Louis (NL)
1966 Frank Robinson, Baltimore (AL)
1965 Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles (NL)
1964 Bob Gibson, St. Louis (NL)
1963 Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles (NL)
1962 Ralph Terry, New York (AL)
1961 Whitey Ford, New York (AL)
1960 Bobby Richardson, New York (AL)
1959 Larry Sherry, Los Angeles (NL)
1958 Bob Turley, New York (AL)
1957 Lew Burdette, Milwaukee (NL)
1956 Don Larsen, New York (AL)
1955 Johnny Podres, Brooklyn (NL)
Sports on 11/02/2017