Key events
Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 7th inning
Peña is up now and he grounds out to first. Well this is going swiftly so far. Two down.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 7th inning
Eflin faces Altuve, who has been quiet this game and remains quiet as he promptly grounds out.
Seventh inning stretch
I post this clip at least once per World Series. If we end up being tied in the 14th inning, I reserve the right to reuse it.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 7th inning
Héctor Neris will be pitching to Nick Castellanos. Just a side note: this is an extremely bad time for any broadcasters to make any serious announcements. Just trust me.
Castellanos takes a ball and then takes a wild, wild, wild swing at a pitch perhaps a bit outside. 1-1. The bases are loaded, did I mention that? That feels like a pertinent detail. On 1-1, Castellanos fouls one away. 1-2. He just barely stays away from the next ball. Somehow. 2-2. He doesn’t the next time around as he strikes out with the bases loaded. There will be no memes after that inning.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 7th inning
Two on, two out, Harper on the plate. Man does this feels like a key at-bat, doesn’t it? Abreu throws a fastball that’s out of the zone. 1-0. The next pitch? In the dirt. 2-0. Lots of 2-0 counts in the last few innings. The next pitch is too high. Ball three. 3-0. A walk wouldn’t be the worst possible outcome here, to be honest.
Instead, Abreu just throws a strike that Harper takes. 3-1. The next pitch is also too high and that’s the second-straight walk from Abreu. Here comes head coach Dusty Baker to make a pitching change.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 7th inning
The Realmuto Of Philadelphia is up with one on and two out. He swings and misses at a pitch just outside. 0-1. The next pitch, that’s in the dirt. 1-1. The next pitch, Abreu doesn’t get a call on a ball just on the lower corner. 2-1. On the next pitch, Abreu throws a ball and Schwarber dashes to second for a successful stolen base that wins America a free taco.
Who says it’s all bad news here in the States?
It’s a 3-1 count on Realmuto, who takes ball four and sets the table for Bryce Harper, who is hitting next.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 7th inning
With Schwarber on first, Abreu faces Hoskins who takes a ball, a strike and a ball. In the meantime, they’re rightfully ruling that Schwarber made it to first on a clean infield single. The next pitch? That’s right in there for a strike. 2-2. On the next pitch, Hoskins extends himself and strikes out swinging.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 7th inning
Schwarber is up next. He takes a slider for a strike and then a ball that bounces in front of him. 1-1. He takes another strike looking. 1-2. The next pitch is also in the dirt but doesn’t quite do the bouncing thing. 2-2. He hits the next one right over Abreu’s hand for a chopper that goes as an infield hit in my opinion. The scorer might rule it an error.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 7th inning
Abreu is still out there for Houston, pitching to Brandon Marsh (who sounds like he shares a name with a South Park character, but I believe is a real-life human being despite a somewhat cartoonish beard). He hits a towering flyball that’s just an easy out.
Email from David Bertram:
My old boss is a big Philly fan. He’d get a kick out of a shout out to ric if possible. He’s watching in Philly hoping for the best and ignoring my texts. Dave
I imagine that he’s watching, Philly sports fans are very dedicated.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 6th inning
Maldonado is up next. He takes a ball. And a ball. Another 2-0 start with another Houston hitter. Eflin feels like he’s not quite finding his spots and the Astros aren’t going to give him any help.
Or maybe not. Maldonado grounds out to third and forces the Houston infield to make a nifty play for the out. The Phillies keep the Astros off the board in the sixth. We’re still tied.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 6th inning
Chas McCormick is here to try to make something happen. At this point, the possibility of extra innings is starting to loom large. Houston has2 already played that 18-inning game, so I have to like their odds if that happens. McCormick takes two straight balls to get ahead 2-0 and then fouls one off. He holds off on the next pitch, also a ball. 3-1. He fouls another off. 3-2. Full count. McCormick takes ball four and that means two are now on for Houston.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 6th inning
Mancini’s at-bat with Gurriel at first and one out in the inning. Mancini takes a ball that Realmuto can’t quite frame. 1-0. The next pitch is also away. 2-0. Eflin finally gets his sinker in the zone with the next pitch. 2-1. He connects on the next pitch but just skies one straight up that’s caught in foul ground. That’s two out in the inning.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 6th inning
Speaking of “out,” so’s Alvarado. In is Zach Eflin, going through Yuli Gurriel. Gurriel takes a ball exterior. 1-0. The subsequent pitch is true down the center for strike two. 1-1. He then hits a chopper, however Gurriel’s throw takes the primary baseman simply off the bottom. Still, try however the result’s an Astro baserunner.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, backside sixth inning
Here comes Alvarado’s hardest problem: getting Kyle Tucker out. He’s accounted for 4 of Houston’s 5 runs. This time round he simply hits the primary ball he sees into the outfield for an out.
Oh wait, that’s why they name it the “out field.” My thoughts is blown.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, prime sixth inning
Jean Segura is up but once more. It appears like he’s all the time up. He swings at Abreu’s first two choices and falls right into a 0-2 gap shortly. And make that 0-3. Wow, that’s a 1-2-3 prime of the sixth with the Astros getting an opportunity to untie this within the backside right here.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, prime sixth inning
Abreu’s first pitch to Stott, additionally a ball. The subsequent two pitches are known as strikes, so he’s down 1-2 shortly. They weren’t mendacity about this Houston pen, apparently. The subsequent pitch? That’s known as strike three.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, prime sixth inning
Bryan Abreu is pitching for Houston which implies that Verlander will, formally, not get his first World Series win tonight. Don’t fear, pitching wins are meaningless junk. If the Astros pull of a win right here, he’ll be very happy. Abreu is going through Bohm, who takes a ball. 1-0. He then flies out on the following pitch. That was fast.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, backside fifth inning
Alex Bregman takes a strike, then swings away. 0-2. The subsequent pitch is a ball, however Alvarado will get him to swing and miss. That was environment friendly and the Phillies hold it tied. Now they should rating runs and hope that their skinny bullpen retains the Astros off the board.
Nobody ever mentioned profitable a World Series recreation was imagined to be simple.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, backside fifth inning
Alvarado is right here to face the harmful Álvarez. His first pitch is a ball however Álvarez pops up his second providing in order that transfer has labored out up to now.
Email from Richard Woods:
Good morning, Hunter. Here in China I acquired entry to each recreation within the common season on my mlb.com subscription, then the submit season will get blocked. Thanks, MLB. Actually, to be truthful to them, they did unblock the second recreation of the AL Wild Card collection. As a Blue Jays fan, I actually want they hadn’t bothered.
Richard Woods
Not so shockingly, Rob Manfred’s MLB will not be making it simple for followers to observe video games anyplace.
And Aaron Nola is popping out and my notes say it’s Jose Alvarado coming in. Aggressive bullpen transfer from Philadelphia, let’s see if it pans out.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, backside fifth inning
Nola is out for the fifth and, consider it or not, is at present not in line for a loss. Peña takes a ball after which swings out wildly. 1-1. The subsequent pitch is just too excessive. 2-1. Feels like that’s a typical depend this night. Another wild swing from Peña. 2-2. And one other swing-and-miss right here for a leadoff strikeout for Nola.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, prime fifth inning
Castellanos is up subsequent. He fouls off a Verlander fastball after which one other. 0-2. Astros followers rise up to attempt to will a strikeout right here. The subsequent pitch is, nevertheless, a ball exterior. 1-2. He reaches to remain alive. 1-2. He reaches and doesn’t keep alive. That’s strike three and Verlander will get out of the inning with out additional injury however the recreation is tied.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, prime fifth inning
We talked about that Verlander has but to win a World Series recreation earlier than, proper? Well, he was cruising for his first one till the Phillies did what they’ve been doing all postseason. Bryce Harper is up subsequent with Realmuto on second. He takes a strike after which fouls one usually. After taking a ball, he grounds out, getting Realmuto to 3rd however making the inning’s second out.
Game-tying double! (Phillies) Phillies 5-5 Astros
Phillies 5-5 Astros, prime fifth inning
J.T. Realmuto “For My Fake Friends, Fakemuto For My Real Friends) is up there and he fouls off his first pitch after which hits a double that scores each runners! It’s a tie recreation!
Phillies 3-5 Astros, prime fifth inning
Hoskins is again up with an opportunity to actually do some injury however as an alternative of he flies one as much as centerfield for the primary out. That might need simply prolonged Verlander’s outing.
Phillies 3-5 Astros, prime fifth inning
Schwarber will get forward of the depend 2-0 earlier than fouling off a Verlander first pitch after which taking strike two. 2-2. The subsequent pitch is excessive. 3-2. Schwarber fouls the following pitch off. Still a full depend. He takes the following pitch and the Phillies now have runners on first and second base with no one out.
Phillies 3-5 Astros, prime fifth inning
The Phillies have stored the Astros off the board. It’s time to see if they will rating and Marsh does his finest to get issues going by hitting a leadoff double off of Verlander.
Phillies 3-5 Astros, backside 4th inning
Altuve is up as soon as extra. He takes a strike. 0-1. And one other strike 0-2. A beneficiant zone, this. On the following pitch, Altuve offers the ball a trip however it’s a brief one which ends in left area for a flyball out to finish the inning. To the fifth!
Phillies 3-5 Astros, backside 4th inning
Maldonado is up subsequent. He fouls off one and simply shortens his swing sufficient to take a ball. 1-1. The subsequent pitch can also be out of the zone and Maldonado doesn’t even try and swing. 2-1. He then grounds out to brief for the second out of the inning.
Phillies 3-5 Astros, backside 4th inning
McCormick is again out to face Nola, who’s again on the market. His first pitch is a ball, as is the second. He will get McCormick to swing and miss on his subsequent two pitches. 2-2. And hey, how a few third straight swing-and-miss for his first out of the inning?
Possibly, however the recreation’s not anyplace near over. That was a really promising counter-attack by the Phillies bats and now they need to see if Nola can hold the ‘Stros of the board.
Phillies 3-5 Astros, top 4th inning
Jean Segura is up now with two on and still two out. They just have refused to make the final out here and that’s been the rationale that Philadelphia have determined that that is going to be a recreation.
And as I sort that, Segura pops out to finish the inning. Still, the purpose stands. The FOX sales space goes to interrupt to the tune of the Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street” and I approve.
Phillies 3-5 Astros, prime 4th inning
Well this says one thing concerning the Phillies’ mentality. Meanwhile, Bryson Stott is up with Bohm on second. Verlander will get forward 1-2 however throws a ball. Then Stott fouls two pitches off. 2-2. Make that three pitches off. Still 2-2. He practically falls all the way in which over fouling the following pitch. Verlander’s as much as 66 pitches. The subsequent pitch is within the dust. 3-2. The subsequent pitch? Way too excessive and Stott has labored a stroll. Emphasis on the “work” half.
Two-run double! (Phillies!) Phillies 3-5 Astros
Phillies 3-5 Astros, prime 4th inning
And Bohm hits a double, it’s swiftly a two-run recreation! That’s a solution for you!
RBI single! (Phillies) Phillies 1-5 Astros
Phillies 1-5 Astros, prime 4th inning
Just unhealthy luck for Philadelphia there as that was just a bit too hard-hit to get that runner in from second base fully safely. Castellanos is up subsequent with an opportunity right here, however he shortly fouls off the following two pitches to fall right into a 0-2 gap. He simply barely holds on to his swing on a slider fairly distant from the place he may have probably hit it. On 1-2, Castellanos golfs a base hit that scores Hoskins and sends Harper to second.
Phillies 0-5 Astros, prime 4th inning
Runner in scoring place for Bryce Harper, batting with two outs. Harper hits a base hit however Hoskins can’t rating from second and has to remain at third base.
Phillies 0-5 Astros, prime 4th inning
Verlander will get right into a 0-2 depend on Realmuto. The coronary heart of the order is up right here with Hoskins on base. He hits a comebacker to Verlander who is ready to corral the ball and toss it to first for the out. Hoskins makes it to second on the play, nevertheless.
Phillies 0-5 Astros, prime 4th inning
Hoskins with a base hit. So, no no-no for Justin Verlander this recreation.
Phillies 0-5 Astros, prime 4th inning
This could be an enormous inning for Philadelphia. Do they begin chipping away on the lead or they fold? Schwarber is up subsequent and he’s undoubtedly the staff’s finest bit to start out making issues occur. Unfortunately, Verlander continues to be within the recreation.
Verlander throws a pitch out of the zone. 1-0. Schwarber swings on the subsequent pitch, makes no contact. 1-1. He will get a strike name on the following pitch after which fouls the following one off. 1-2. The subsequent pitch appears to be like a bit like strike three however will get known as a ball. 2-2. On the following pitch Schwarber flies out to middle.
Phillies 0-5 Astros, backside third inning
Mancini is up right here. He takes a strike and fouls a ball off. He’s down 0-2, however once more the final time Nola acquired a batter in that depend it ended badly for him. Mancini fouls one other off, nonetheless 0-2. He then grounds out to brief. The inning is over however Houston is up large early.
Phillies 0-5 Astros, backside third inning
So I’m pondering that that is the Kyle Tucker Game until the Phillies pull off a large comeback. Meanwhile, this inning continues for Nola, who now has to face Yuli Gurriel. The excellent news is that the bases are empty? Gurriel takes the primary three pitches and comes out forward 2-1. He then fouls the following pitch off. 2-2. He then grounds out into the infield and that’s lastly the second out of the inning.
Three-run dwelling run! (Astros) Phillies 0-5 Astros
Phillies 0-5 Astros, backside third inning
And right here’s Tucker once more. He has an opportunity to be a hometown legend this at-bat. He hits Nola’s first pitch foul after which takes a strike. 0-2. Nola tries to get him to probability with a low ball however there’s no cube. 1-2. He wouldn’t thoughts a strikeout proper right here, one imagines. The subsequent pitch is a ball in the dead of night. Didn’t get it there. 2-2. Tucker breaks his bat on the following pitch, the ball goes foul and out of play. Still 2-2. The subsequent pitch is exterior. 3-2. A a lot more durable at bat than this appeared it might be after Tucker fell 0-2. The payoff pitch.. Tucker hits one more dwelling run! OH MY GOODNESS!
Phillies 0-2 Astros, backside third inning
Alex Bregman is up with an opportunity to drive in a 3rd run the simple method. He takes Nola’s first pitch as a ball, then does the identical with the second. 2-0. Nola’s third pitch within the at-bat is known as a strike wanting. 2-1. Bregman has but to swing. Ball three. Still no swing. 3-1. And he doesn’t swing at ball 4. It’s now first and third. Still only one out.
Phillies 0-2 Astros, backside third inning
Álvarez legs out an infield single that lets Peña make it to 3rd. However, the Phillies problem it they usually could also be proper. It appears to be like like he’s out on replay. And, certainly, he’s out at first however the runner at third stays with only one out.
Phillies 0-2 Astros, backside third inning
Peña is up once more for the Astros within the backside of the third. Houston have already scored the quantity of runs I had them profitable in my prediction, so I’ve discovered myself within the bizarre place of hoping for completely no additional baseball motion. Nola begins him off with a ball. 1-0. Peña swings and misses after which… tries to bunt himself on? Weird leadoff technique, however the ball goes foul so no hurt, no foul.
Well, okay, in order that counts as a strike so there’s a bit of little bit of hurt and the ball did go foul so perhaps that was the flawed expression.
In any case, He fouls a ball off after which hits a double. The lesson: by no means bunt.
Phillies 0-2 Astros, prime third inning
Brandon Marsh pops up on the primary pitch he sees, however it’s out of play so it’s only a strike. 0-1. Marsh has a kind of old-timey prospectors’ beards. In truth, it is a little bit of a bushy ballclub basically, very a lot not a gown code just like the Yankees. Marsh fouls the following pitch off after which takes strike three. So Verlander faces the minimal via three.
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