Houston Astros relief pitcher Ken Giles throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the ninth inning of Game 4 of baseball’s World Series Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
HOUSTON — This time, the Astros couldn’t save Ken Giles.
Houston’s hard-throwing closer faltered again in Game 4 of the World Series, taking the loss in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 6-2 victory on Saturday night.
Giles was charged with three runs without getting an out, inflating his postseason ERA to 11.75. He’s allowed at least a run in six of seven appearances — a staggering flop after posting a 1.14 ERA over his final 38 regular-season games.
Last time out, Giles gave up a solo homer to Yasiel Puig and a tying hit to Enrique Hernandez to blow a lead in the 10th inning of Game 2. Houston bailed him out, rallying for a 7-6, 11-inning win.
There was no such comeback after Giles’ Game 4 collapse.
With the game tied at 1 in the ninth inning, Giles allowed a leadoff single to Corey Seager and walked Justin Turner. Cody Bellinger then lined a double into left-center, bringing Seager home.
Manager A.J. Hinch pulled Giles at that point, but the closer was charged with two more runs when Turner and Bellinger later scored.
Boos rained down from the home crowd as Giles walked off.
The player nicknamed 100-miles-Giles has quickly become a liability. He has a pair of saves this postseason — in Game 4 of the AL Division Series against Boston and Game 1 of the AL Championship Series versus the Yankees after allowing a run in each game — but he had blown leads in two of his last three outings before Saturday.
Giles had a 2.30 ERA in 63 appearances in the regular season. His ERA in two World Series games is 27.00.
Hinch was keeping the faith, though, saying after Game 2 that he thinks “Ken Giles is going to get another save in this series. I think he’s going to get some really big outs.”
He added: “Just because somebody has a bad day at work, does not mean that they need to be condemned and sent away. … I’m going to keep putting him in and trusting him.”
After this latest performance, Hinch may need to find a new go-to at the back of the bullpen.