That 2017 Astros World Series title will always come with a cheating asterisk, and Dodgers legend Orel Hershiser sure hasn’t forgotten.
The former-pitcher-turned-television-analyst made a cheating dig while Houston handed the Dodgers their worst home loss since opening Dodger Stadium in 1962 in Friday’s 18-1 beatdown.
“I don’t want to open an old wound, but in some ways they’re swinging at these breaking balls like they know what is coming,” Hershiser said after a double in the third with Houston leading, 4-1.
“That’s not a bad pitch. It’s really a very good pitch. Low and away, probably would have ended up by the ankles if it would have made it past the bat.”
The Astros are forever going to have to wear the cheater label after they illegally used videos to steal signs during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
That 2017 season ended with the Astros triumphing over the Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series in Los Angeles to win their first championship.
Houston kept its title despite the cheating, which included using trash cans to relay pitches, while several Dodgers called out the team for its actions.
Former Dodger and current Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger previously said he lost respect for the Astros and Jose Altuve “stole” the 2017 AL MVP from current teammate Aaron Judge.
Old feelings die hard, as the saying goes, so perhaps it’s not shocking that Hershiser referenced the cheating scandal while Houston turned Friday’s game into glorified batting practice.
The fans surely didn’t forget, chanting “cheater” at Altuve during his at-bats, per ESPN.
Hershiser, who pitched for the Dodgers from 1983-94 and in 2000 during an 18-season career, made his remark after the Astros tallied their fifth extra-base hit in two-plus innings against Ben Casparius.
Houston grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first, and that ballooned to 4-1 in the fourth when they started the inning with a double and a homer — before Cam Smith’s double that elicited Hershiser’s comment.
The next batter, Christian Walker, hit a two-run homer to turn the game into a blowout.
The 23-year-old Casparius, making his third start of the season, surrendered six runs on nine hits in three innings.
Dodgers reliever Noah Davis had an egregiously bad day, allowing 10 runs in 1 1/3 innings.
Manager Dave Roberts even made a curious remark after the game that perhaps could be interpreted by some as a reference Houston’s former tactics.
“I don’t think Ben was good tonight,” Roberts said. “It seemed like they were on everything he threw up there.”