Reporting from Houston — Houston can be hot and sticky during the summer, and kids who can get away tend to head to camp.
Not Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations. Friedman grew up in Houston, and he had a game plan every summer.
“I figured out how to finagle my way into the Astrodome and watch games,” he said.
His favorite game: Mike Scott pitched a no-hitter to clinch the National League West for the Astros in 1986. Friedman was 9. (Scott pitched 293 innings that year, including playoffs. Friedman’s future self would be apoplectic.)
Friedman did not collect T-shirts or autographs. “I would come early and get broken bats,” he said. “They would break bats, and I would be lurking. I probably had 90 to 100 of them. I don’t know where they are.”
Friedman later played in the Astrodome, for his high school team. The Astros moved out of America’s original domed stadium and into Minute Maid Park in 2000.
Their landlord is the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority. The chairman of that authority: Friedman’s father, Ken.
Tune up
The Dodgers have a department of research and development, mining endless streams of data for any factor that might give the team even the slightest competitive edge. Has the R&D team determined that the volume or quality of music played during batting practice can influence the performance of hitters?
“Come on,” Friedman said. “That’s ridiculous.”
It wasn’t his idea, he said, to make the Astros twice take batting practice to the sounds of cheesy soft rock at Dodger Stadium. But turnabout is fair play, so the Astros provided no music when the Dodgers worked out here Thursday night.
“I heard they had a quiet workout with no music,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said, “which I did not set up, but I fully approve of.” He smiled.
Actually, the Dodgers provided their own music for the workout, with a portable sound system they attached to the batting cage.
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Dodgers’ from left, Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Chase Utley and Brandon Morrow meet on the mound in Game 3.
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The Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger walks back to the dugout after striking out in the fourth inning.
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Dodgers’ from left, Yasmani Grandal, Josh Fields, Clayton Kershaw and Kenta Maeda stand during Astro introductions before Game 3.
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Astros closer Brad Peacock is all smiles after shutting the Dodgers out in 3 2/3 innings and striking out four.
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Dodgers starter Yu Darvish leaves the game in the second inning after surrendering four runs to the Astros.
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Yuli Gurriel hits a second-inning leadoff homer off of Dodgers starter Yu Darvish. Video of Gurriel making an apparent racist gesture in the dugout after the homer surfaced on social media during the game.
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Justin Turner of the Dodgers walks back to the bench after popping up against the Astros in the eighth inning.
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The Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig sits quietly in the dugout during Game 3 of the World Series.
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Yasiel Puig of the Dodgers chases a ball that goes foul.
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The Dodgers’ Corey Seager loses his helmet as he runs the bases on a hit by Justin Turner in the sixth inning.
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Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish, center, watches the game form the dugout in the ninth inning. Darvish started the game but was relieved in the second inning.
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Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish stands on the mound during the second inning.
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Yasiel Puig of the Dodgers strikes out in the ninth inning against the Astros.
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The Astros’ Jose Altuve tags out the Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig, who was trying to reach second base on a hit in the fourth inning.
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Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes bobbles the ball as the Astros’ Marwin Gonzalez scores a run in the second inning.
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Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel is greeted by teammate Carlos Correa after homering in the second inning against Dodgers starter Yu Darvish.
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A dour group of Dodgers watch from the dugout as a pop foul sails overhead in Game 3.
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Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. raises a fist to fans as he leaves the game in the sixth inning.
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Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes can’t make the tag on the Astros’ Josh Reddick at home plate in the fifth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 20/42
The Dodgers Justin Turner scores on a wild pitch by Astros reliever Brad Peacock in the fifth inning.
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Dodgers’ catcher Austin Barnes can’t make the tag on the Astros’ Josh Reddick at home plate in the fifth inning.
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Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish walks off the field after being taken out of the game in the second inning.
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Astros’ center fielder George Springer makes a diving catch to save a run off the bat of the Dodgers’ Chris Taylor in the fifth inning.
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The Astros’ Jose Altuve tags out Dodgers Yasiel Puig, who was trying to reach second base on a hit in the fourth inning.
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Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, left, relays to first base in time to complete a double play after forcing out the Dodgers’ Chris Taylor.
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Yasiel Puig is tagged out by Astros second baseman Jose Altuve after trying to stretch a single into a double during the 4th inning of game 3.
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Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager can’t reach a bloop single by Astros catcher Brian McCann during fourth-inning action.
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Dodger Austin Barnes sits after Astro Josh Reddick scores from first base on an error in the fifth inning.
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The Houston Astros’ Yuli Gurriel celebrates his home run as Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes watches during the second inning.
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The Houston Astros’ Yuli Gurriel is congratulated by George Springer after hitting a home run during the second inning.
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Yu Darvish looks to the outfield as Yuli Gurriel homers in the second inning.
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Yuri Gurriel hits a second-inning leadoff home run off Dodgers starter Yu Darvish in game 3.
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Dodgers centerfielder Chris Taylor chases down a first-inning double by Astros leadoff hitter George Springer.
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The Dodgers’ Logan Forsythe singles in the top of the second inning.
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The Dodgers’ Yu Darvish pitches during the first inning.
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A giant American flag is held on the field as the national anthem is performed.
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Fans gather along the third base line during pregame warmups before Game 3 of the World Series at Minute Maid Park.
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Dodgers fans chant and clap in support of the players warming up on the field before Game 3.
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Yasiel Puig plants a kiss on his hitting coach Turner Ward during intorductions before Game 3 of the World Series.
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Joc Pederson heads to batting practice before Game 3 of the World Series at Minute Maid Park.
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Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez watches batting practice before Game 3.
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Dodgers players shag balls in the outfield before Game 3.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Throwing blanks
Kenta Maeda pitched 2 2/3 more scoreless innings Friday, allowing the Dodgers to stay within striking distance of the Astros.
The converted starter has appeared in seven of the team’s 11 postseason games, and has nine shutout innings, giving up only two hits and a walk. He has nine strikeouts.
But, after extending to 42 pitches, he is also likely to be unavailable Saturday in Game 4.
Late switch
The Dodgers made a late change to their lineup, shifting Enrique Hernandez from designated hitter to left field. Joc Pederson moved from left to DH. Manager Dave Roberts indicated the team preferred Hernandez’s versatility in the field.
Hernandez was 0 for 1 with a walk before being replaced by Andre Ethier in the seventh inning. Pederson had a double in two at-bats and scored the Dodgers’ first run after a walk.
Relishing the experience
Alex Wood, the Dodgers’ Game 4 starter, has championship experience. Just not lately. He enrolled at Georgia the year after the Bulldogs went to the College World Series.
“In high school, won a state championship,” he said. “Lost my junior year. And after that, nothing notable.”
He is trying to make sure he takes it all in.
“The biggest thing for me is just trying to kind of let it all sink in and enjoy the moment,” said Wood, who lost his only postseason start this year. “It goes by so fast and you turn back and you’re like, ‘Wow, what happened?’ ”
Juice ball?
After eight home runs were hit in Game 2, Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel offered an explanation.
“I think the balls are juiced, 100%,” Keuchel said.
Commissioner Rob Manfred dismissed any such conclusion on the basis of Game 2, or on any one game. Manfrerepeated what he has said throughout a season in which a record number of home runs were hit: The balls have been tested repeatedly and fall within the specifications provided to manufacturers.
The Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2017 World Series
andy.mccullough@latimes.com
Twitter: @McCulloughTimes
