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LOS ANGELES -- Kenley Jansen entered Game 6 of the World Series in completely foreign territory. It did not faze the Los Angeles Dodgers closer one bit. Jansen retired all six batters he faced in the Dodgers' 3-1 victory over the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium, recovering quite nicely from earlier Series struggles.
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The result evened the series and forced a decision Game 7 to be played Wednesday in Los Angeles.
Jansen was scored upon in his previous three Series appearances, the first time in 2 1/2 seasons that he allowed runs in three consecutive outings. He had not been scored upon in even two consecutive appearances in the 2016 and 2017 regular seasons.
"He looked like he always has," said Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who was in the bullpen for Game 6 and will be available again for Game 7. "We've asked a lot out of our bullpen this whole postseason. Kenley looked amazing."
Jansen, who converted 41 of 42 regular-season save chances, was very un-Jansen-like in the last week, starting when he gave up a game-tying homer to Houston's George Springer in the ninth inning of Los Angeles' 7-6, 11-inning loss in Dodger Stadium in Game 2. It was his first blown postseason save chance after he converted his first 12.
He gave up an inconsequential homer to Alex Bregman in the ninth inning of a 6-2 victory in Game 4, then served up a two-out, walk-off single to Bregman in the Astros' 10-inning, 13-12 victory in Game 5.
Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said in his pregame press conference that he expected to use Jansen for only three outs Tuesday, but that changed when the Dodgers took a 3-1 lead on Joc Pederson's bases-empty homer with one out in the seventh inning.
"I'm not trying to be a hero or anything, but there is no tomorrow," Jansen said. "We have to go out there and fight.
"(Roberts) asked me how I felt, and I gave him my honesty. The adrenaline and everything, I feel great. I didn't feel tired out there at all. I want to go out there and compete, try to help my teammates and pick them up and force a Game 7."
Jansen needed only seven pitches, all strikes, to get through the eighth, and he struck out the final two he faced in the ninth for his second Series save. He wound up throwing 19 pitches Tuesday.
Jansen was the fifth pitcher the Dodgers used, continuing their pattern of going early and often to the bullpen. Jansen has pitched in 12 of the Dodgers' 14 postseason games. Setup man Brandon Morrow has pitched in 13 after replacing starter Rich Hill and getting three outs Tuesday.
The off-day Monday was a welcome break, Jansen said.
"No doubt about it," he said. "It was tough in Houston. Those guys did what they were supposed to do. But we also did what we were supposed to do, too, to take one and get our home-field advantage back.
"They were tough there. But the one thing we never lose sight of, we never stop believing. We all believe. We've talked about winning a championship this year, and we have a chance."
As in every Game 7, it will be all hands on deck, and that includes Kershaw and Alex Wood joining Jansen, Morrow and the rest in the bullpen.
"I can give 27 innings, whatever that means," Kershaw said. "Can't get too excited thinking about the what-ifs. Right now, just have to get ready to go."
