THE KEY PLAYERS
The 5 Astros with the biggest impact on the World Series
Nov 1, 2017, 11:00 pm
Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa were key players. Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
The five most important Astros in this year’s World Series:
5) Charlie Morton. He was terrific in both the Game 4 loss and his Game 7 relief appearance. Spared a Ken Giles experience in Game 7.
4) Jose Altuve. The league MVP. His numbers weren’t terrific but he was clutch at times -- especially Game 5 -- and they do not win it without him.
3) Alex Bregman. The young third baseman was a force throughout, hitting big homers, getting the game winning hit in Game 5 and playing flashy defense. Emerged as a legitimate star in the postseason.
3) Carlos Correa. It gets overlooked just how good this young man has become, but he was solid in the series. And he proposed to his girlfriend after the game. That should be worth something.
1) George Springer. The Series MVP was a tough out all series, and he was at his best in Game 7, with a leadoff double and run and then a big two-run homer to give Houston a 5-0 lead.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.