EVERY-THING SPORTS

Verlander records his first World Series victory as Astros take a 3-2 series lead

Verlander records his first World Series victory as Astros take a 3-2 series lead
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images.

Watch the postgame show live!

When a best of seven series is tied 2-2, the winner of game five goes on to win the series roughly 70-80% of the time across all major sports. The Astros came into this game riding high off their game four 5-0 combined no-hitter. With future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander taking the mound, there was some skepticism entering this game. As good as Verlander's regular season has been throughout his career, even his postseason stats, his World Series record is horrendous. 0-6 in eight starts with a 6.07 ERA and nine homers given up doesn't say Hall of Fame caliber pitcher. Things got going early on in the game.

Jose Altuve got the party started with a triple off the wall to right field. Jeremy Pena followed with a single to score Altuve and make it 1-0 Astros. Phillies starter Noah Syndergaard only lasted a couple more innings after that. Verlander gave up a solo home run to Kyle Schwarber on his second pitch to tie the game at 1-1. It was Verlander's 10th World Series home run allowed, most of all time. Pena gave the Astros the lead with a solo shot in the fourth inning. Verlander went five innings only giving up the solo homer to Schwarber. He settled down and got out of some jams with 94 pitches thrown and six strikeouts.

In the eighth inning, both teams scored another run. In the top of the inning, Yordan Alvarez grounded to first base and Altuve scored from third. In the bottom of the inning, Jean Segura singled to right and Nick Castellanos scored. 3-2 going into the ninth inning with Ryan Pressly on the mound is about as solid as things can get. Except the Phillies had their two, three, and four hitters coming up. Those guys were a combined 0 for 8 with six strikeouts in the game.

Rhys Hoskins got up and struck out after fighting off several 0-2 pitches. J.T. Realmuto was up next and gave a ball a ride to the warning track where Chas McCormick made a tremendous catch against the wall for out number two. Phillies big bopper Bryce Harper was up with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Pressly hit him in the shoe to put the winning run in the batter's box. Castellanos, the free swinger, was up next. Pressly got him to ground out to Pena. Ball game!

Verlander got off the schneid with his first World Series win. The Astros take a commanding 3-2 series lead. The series is headed back to Houston for Game Six. Now this team has the opportunity to close out the series at home. They have the chance to quiet the haters and doubters with their second World Series title in their fourth appearance in the Fall Classic in the last six seasons. This will cement legacies and be a fitting feather in the cap of this dynasty. One more win. Nine more innings. 27 more outs away from one of the biggest EFF YOU'S in sports history!

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
The Angels beat the Astros, 4-1. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

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.

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome