LOS ANGELES — Long before his starring role in the World Series, George Springer stood in front of his locker at Minute Maid Stadium on the first day of September, and you could feel the pain in his heart in the words he spoke.
The Astros center fielder had spent the previous couple of days hearing stories about the devastation in Houston, and he'd seen pictures and video of what the flooding from the 50-plus inches of rain from Hurricane Harvey had done to his adopted Texas community.
PHOTOS: Best scenes from Game 7
"It's our job," he said, "to go out there and run through a wall if need be. Do whatever it is that we're supposed to do, because our city deserves that."
He repeated that same sentiment — I'll run through a wall for this city — over and over, while the team was in Florida playing the Rangers, and after they returned to Houston for a series with the Mets.
And when you saw the passion in his eyes, you 100 percent believed Springer would charge head-first into a wall if he thought that would lift the spirits of even one Houstonian.
MORE: Springer named World Series MVP after Astros win Game 7
Turns out, that wasn't necessary. Five World Series home runs did the trick just fine. Before we come back to Game 7, though, let's take another look back. This time, to Game 1 of the World Series. Springer struck out four times, and the Astros managed just one run in a game started by Clayton Kershaw and finished by Kenley Jansen.
Lots of people asked the question: What's wrong with Springer?
Manager A.J. Hinch had an emphatic answer to that question: Nothing. And he wasn't afraid to elaborate on that point.
FAGAN: Astros played with greater purpose after Hurricane Harvey
"I think his swing is great," Hinch said before Game 2. "He's one of the most electrifying players in the game. He's an All Star. And he's a guy that we rely heavily on for energy, for good performance, for the music in the clubhouse. There's nothing this guy can't do. So to even say his swing is off is not right. Because tonight it can be very on. He's going to lead off the game, and if he gets a good pitch to hit, there's not a doubt in anybody's mind that he can be productive. To me his swing is perfect."
That perfect swing produced three hits in Game 2, including the 10th-inning two-run homer that gave the Astros their winning margin. And then Springer hit another home run in Game 4. And another in Game 5. And another in Game 6.
That brings us back to Game 7. Springer led off the game with a double and scored on a throwing error by Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger. In his second at-bat, he hit yet another home run. It was his fifth of the World Series, tying a record, and his fourth in as many games.
SHOP: Get Astros world championship gear
Try this on: He's the only player in baseball history to homer in four consecutive World Series games in the same season (Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig homered in four consecutive World Series games, but those were split over two seasons).
Yep, that's a pretty good substitute for literally running through a wall. The goal — to give Astros fans in a devastated community something to be happy about — was accomplished.
