<P> All - Star shortstop Corey Seager, who was out for the entire National League Championship Series with a back injury, was included on the Dodgers' World Series roster . Manager Dave Roberts became first manager of Asian heritage ever in the World Series, as well as the fourth African - American manager . </P> <P> With a 101--61 regular season record, the team won its first American League West title, and their first division title since 2001 . In the American League Division Series, they defeated the Boston Red Sox in four games and then defeated the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) in seven games . This was their second World Series appearance and first since 2005, when they were swept in four games by the Chicago White Sox . They became the first team in history to make it to the World Series as members of both the National League and the American League . </P> <P> The city of Houston in August 2017 suffered record flooding from Hurricane Harvey . The team began to wear patches which had the logo of the team with the word "Strong" on the bottom of the patch, as well as promoting the hashtag Houston Strong . Manager A.J. Hinch has stated in an interview that the team wasn't just playing for a title, but to help boost moral support for the city . </P> <P> On August 31, just seconds before the midnight deadline, the Astros traded for Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander . Following the trade, including the regular season and postseason to this point, Verlander had posted a 9--0 win - loss record with a 1.23 earned run average . He was named the ALCS MVP . </P>

Who pitched the last game of the world series