Dodgers, Astros play quickest World Series game since 1992, leave fans wanting more

LOS ANGELES — Some fans spent almost as much time in traffic after they exited the 5, 110 or 101 freeways before the Game 1 of the World Series than they did watching it. 

The Dodgers' 3-1 victory over the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday took 2 hours, 28 minutes, making it the quickest World Series game since 1992. Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw's 11 strikeouts through seven innings of work in a game that featured nine hits by both clubs certainly helped speed things along. 

"It was kind of quick," Astros second baseman Jose Altuve said. "Everybody was swinging their bats. We were ready to hit the ball. We were facing one of the best pitchers in the league and they were facing one of the best, too in (Dallas) Keuchel."

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Only four runners were left on base in Game 1 and the game featured a single mid-inning pitching change and no video reviews. Game 5 of the NLDS between the Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals -- which featured 12 pitching changes and video replay -- lasted four hours and 37 minutes, the longest nine-inning game in playoff history. 

Tuesday's Game 1 was 63 minutes shorter than the postseason average entering the World Series.

Even with a Dodgers victory in a game that started when temperatures topped 100 degrees, there could have been a few who wanted to savor the Dodgers' first World Series game since 1988 a bit more. 

“I would have liked for it to have been longer,” said Eve Balkos of Duarte, who paid $1,900 for a seat to attend the game with family. “It wasn’t boring by any means and it was an excellent game all around. It was just shorter.”

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