Astros edge Dodgers in thriller, on brink of maiden World Series crown

The Houston Astros escaped a thrilling home-run filled clash with a 13-12 extrainnings victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday to be one win away from their maiden World Series title.

After blowing a three-run lead in the ninth inning during which they had the Dodgers down to their final strike, Houston closed out one of the wildest games in World Series history when Alex Bregman hit a walk-off single in the 10th inning.

Each team had their left-handed aces on the mound to start the pivotal fifth game of the best-of-seven series but both the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw and Astros’ Dallas Keuchel failed to produce the pitchers’ duel many had expected.

By the time the final out was recorded in a game that had it all and kept the capacity crowd on their feet most of the way, the Dodgers and Astros had combined for a whopping seven home runs, including a trio of three-run blasts.

The Astros, who lead the series 3-2, now have two chances in Los Angeles to win their first World Series championship since the inception of the franchise 55 years ago.

After rallying back from four, three and one-run deficits, Houston finally pulled in front when Jose Altuve’s runscoring double made it 9-8 just two batters after George Springer tied the game with a solo shot.

Carlos Correa’s two-run homer before the inning was over stretched the Astros lead to three but Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager doubled in a run in the top of the eighth to pull his team to within 11-9.

On a night when no lead was safe, the Astros fans remained a tense bunch even after Brian McCann’s eighth-inning homer gave the Astros their biggest lead of the night, 12-9.

But the drama was only getting started as the Dodgers stormed back in the ninth compliments of Yasiel Puig’s two-run shot and a run-scoring single from Chris Taylor before sending it to extra innings.

Kershaw, who enjoyed a pitching master class in the series opener, was locked in early but the wheels came off and by the time he left the game had allowed six runs and four hits with two strikeouts and three walks over 4 2/3 innings.

Game 6 is scheduled for Tuesday in Los Angeles where the Dodgers will send Rich Hill to the mound while the Astros will counter with Justin Verlander.