They nearly made the World Series their yearly playground for five years, reestablishing a standard of greatness in Major League Baseball while also receiving well-deserved criticism off the field and heartache on it.
But with a powerful punch from Jordan Alvarez – after scandal, organizational turmoil, free agency transitions and a series of insane near misses – the Houston Astros are back at the top of baseball on Saturday night, Game 6. and defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4. : his No. 1 ranking in the World Series, winning his first championship since the 2017 title was ruined.
The electronic signature theft scandal, which came to light two years after the Astros defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in his seven games, threatens to cast a controversial light on every move of the organization and, of course, its protagonists. was. It may always be so for some people.
But instead of getting mad at the critics or guilt-ridden, the Astros worked on building and maintaining excellence.
And, having won the championship for the second time in franchise history, they left no doubt.
Astros owner Jim Crane said of the sign theft and its aftermath, “I can’t say it didn’t bother them, but they worked hard and played hard and they did pretty well tonight. .”
The Astros won 11 of 13 postseason games, trailing the Chicago White Sox in 2005 and the New York Yankees in 1999 (11-2, respectively) and the Yankees in 1998 (also 11-2) in the wild card era. Became a top team. The best teams were often hampered by chance, bad decisions, or bad luck in the playoffs.
These Astros and their beloved his 73-year-old manager, Dusty Baker, eventually won the Worlds title of his series as a skipper in their third attempt, but were too good for it.
Left-handed Flamber he Valdez won his second game of the series, dominating the Phillies with his one of the game’s biggest curveballs and a sinking fastball. Valdez hit his five streaks to get him 1 and his 9 overall, his aggregates in Games 2 and 6 were near perfect.
Even his only blemish in Game 6—Kyle, his first solo home run that Schwarber started in his sixth—just set the stage for the most unique moment in Astros history. did. The Phillies’ 1-0 lead briefly sparked hope that they could force a victory in Game 7 on Sunday night after Phillies starter Zach Wheeler returned to ace status after a shaky Game 2. rice field. But ninth hitter Martin Maldonado leaned forward a little and was hit by the Wheeler pitch that marked the start of the sixth game. Then rookie shortstop Jeremy Pena quickly became the Astros’ most indomitable plate presence, pushing a single into midfield.
Alvarez went 42 without a hit. Wheeler did not allow slugging all night on just 73 pitches. And dominant left-back Jose Alvarado fell in a similar bases-loaded spot in Game 4, forcing Alvarez to take the first heat of the game by hitting a pitch and giving Alex Bregman a two-run double. I forgave.
doesn’t matter. Rookie Phillies manager Rob Thomson came out and picked up the ball from Wheeler, thanking him greatly for his efforts along the way. And Alvarado turned a 2-1 sinker on Alvarez at 98 mph.
“Sometimes I win, sometimes I take my hat off to the hitter,” Alvarado said. “That’s the game.”
The Cuban slugger went 42-5 in the AL Division since hitting his two homers in his series. But Alvarado’s pitch was as high as a grapefruit, and Alvarez wrecked it – 450 feet in a straight line to dead midfield, soaring over fences, over artificial greens that hit the back, in one standing room. A room-only deck that’s now a hilarious phalanx to celebrate Astros fans.
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“He’s the best slugger in the world,” McCormick said of Alvarez. “Nobody hits a home run into midfield. He hits it over the backstop.”
It was 3-1. 9 out away. And this postseason is almost over.
As you can see, the Astros’ bullpen delivered the most dominant playoff run in history, and Saturday featured the same stars that helped drive a combined no-hitter in Game 4 – Brian Abreu, Rafael Montero, Ryan As Presley, and Hector, it seemed like just a formality. Nellis – Easily covered his last four innings. The unit finished the playoffs with a .81 ERA and was topped by another save from Ryan Pressly, who fouled Nick’s Castellanos on a fly ball to lure him back into his territory and wreak havoc at H-Town. I was.
“We are evil,” says Presley, who saved Games 5 and 6 and missed an earned run in 5 2/3 innings of the World Series.
It was only his first time in five years that they celebrated like this after Dodger’s seventh game at his stadium. With years of booing for new GMs and managers, and hangovers like Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman, the interim has been both difficult and enlightening.
Three new heroes were introduced on Saturday night. And now they’re all Astros, old and new, involved and innocent – undisputed champions. “Every single person has put in so much work. Everyone believed in it,” said third baseman Alex Bregman, one of five remnants from the 2017 team.
“I am grateful and proud to be a part of this franchise.”
