World Series 2017: Dodgers strike first with Chris Taylor solo shot

Chris Taylor’s smoking hot home run put the Los Angeles Dodgers on the board first in Game 1 of the 2017 World Series.

Los Angeles set the tone for Game 1 of the 2017 World Series with a blistering solo shot from left fielder Chris Taylor. The hottest World Series Game 1 in history kicked off in style with Taylor’s blast to left center to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st.

Taylor’s home run came on Dallas Keuchel’s 87.9 MPH fastball. Taylor didn’t need to get warmed up, sending his first pitch into the stands. According to Statcast, the ball’s exit velocity was 106.7 MP, reaching 111 feet in the air with a projected distance of 447 feet.

Taylor’s excitement was palpable as he rounded the bases, joining his equally exuberant teammates in the dugout.

This was Taylor’s second postseason home run. He’s batting .281 in the postseason with 32 at-bats and 4 RBI. Taylor was hot in the regular season, too, with 21 home runs and 72 RBI, good for a .288 average. Taylor has been integral to LA’s success this season and getting the Dodgers on the board early is always a good thing to help starter Clayton Kershaw have a little breathing room.

There have been concerns about playing in such high temperatures. At the start of the game, the temperature at Dodgers Stadium was in triple-digits. At 103 degrees, it’s more than twice the temperature of last year’s Game 1 in Cleveland, where it was a cool 50 degrees at start time.

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One added benefit of the weather is that the heat will give the ball an extra lift. According to ESPN, there are 1.5 home runs in games played in 90+ degree weather. The heat is expected to continue through Thursday, making the first two games of the World Series hot ones.