Los Angeles Dodgers Lead Houston Astros 2-1 In Game 6 Of World Series

Updated at 10:55 P.M. ET

After six innings, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a 2-1 lead over the Houston Astros in Game 6 of the World Series.

The Dodgers had trailed 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth inning when catcher Austin Barnes singled and Houston starter Justin Verlander hit LA's Chase Utley. Center fielder Chris Taylor doubled to score Barnes. Short stop Corey Seager's sacrifice fly scored Utley.

Until then Verlander appeared to be in control of the game, holding the Dodgers to just one hit in five innings.

Houston scored its only run when Astros center fielder George Springer hit a home run off Dodgers starter Rich Hill in the top of the third inning.

Houston threatened to score again in the top of the fifth inning with a single by catcher Brian McCann and a double by left fielder Marwin Gonzalez. Two outs later, and with an intentional walk to Springer loading the bases, third baseman Alex Bregman grounded out to short.

In their half of the sixth, the Astros got two more runners on a two-out single by first baseman Yuli Gurriel. Then McCann was hit by a pitch from Dodgers reliever Brandon Morrow. But again, Houston failed to score.

The Astros lead the Dodgers three games to two in the Series and need just one more win to take home their franchise's first World Series title. The Angelenos need to win to stay alive for a Game 7.

The Astros took a 3-2 lead in the series after Game 5 on Sunday night — a five-hour-plus, extra-inning slugfest that featured a combined 25 runs, 28 hits and seven home runs, five by Houston. The Astros won 13-12 at home on a walk-off RBI single by third baseman Alex Bregman off the Dodgers' ace reliever, Kenley Jansen.

The dramatic victory was immediately compared to Houston's equally exciting (for Astros fans) win in Game 2.

"Just when I thought I could describe Game 2 as my favorite game of all time, I think Game 5 exceeded that and more," said Astros manager A.J. Hinch.

So it's do-or-die time back home for Los Angeles. The Dodgers' colorful right fielder, Yasiel Puig, has guaranteed that the Dodgers will win Game 6 and force a winner-take-all Game 7.

Tonight's starting pitchers, Hill for the Dodgers and Verlander for the Astros, squared off in Game 2 with Hill striking out seven batters and giving up only three hits in four innings. Verlander pitched six innings, striking out five and surrendering only two hits — both home runs.

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