Everything about Game 2 of the 2017 World Series was awesome.
The swings in momentum. The drama. The star power. The shock factor. No matter how you slice it, the Houston Astros’ 7-6, 11-inning win over the Los Angeles Dodgers will go down as one of the best games in Fall Classic history.
But something else happened Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium that made the whole evening even more entertaining: Yasiel Puig, one of the most polarizing players in Major League Baseball, has been especially animated this postseason, and the Astros gave the Dodgers outfielder a taste of his own medicine by seemingly trolling him during the hard-fought contest.
I mean, how else would you explain the Astros’ sudden penchant for sticking out their tongues?
Photo via Richard Mackson/USA TODAY Sports Images
Puig, of course, has been sticking out his tongue all postseason — even licking his bats from time to time — and has acknowledged his knack for doing so, both through his hairstyle and his cleats.
And how about that bat flip by Carlos Correa in the 10th inning?
You can’t say that wasn’t inspired by Puig’s emphatic bat flips, especially given the Astros shortstop’s postgame explanation, which took another jab at his flamboyant opponent.
To his credit, Puig was a good sport about Correa’s theatrics, perhaps realizing he wouldn’t have a leg to stand on if he kicked up a fuss.
In fact, Puig even did a little trolling of his own in the bottom of the 10th inning — Jose Altuve and Correa hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the frame — by placing his bat down gently after going deep to pull the Dodgers to within a run.
All in all, Game 2 of the World Series didn’t need any type of sideshow to make it an instant classic. The game itself was enough to go down in the history books.
But baseball could use a little extra zest to draw in casual fans, and the back and forth between Puig and the Astros definitely adds a little something with the series tied at one game apiece.
Thumbnail photo via Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports Images
