The Houston Astros are the 2022 World Series Champions. The Astros defeated the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night in Game 6, 4-1, to even the series at four games apiece. For Houston, Framber Valdez was flawless until he allowed a sixth-inning solo homer to Kyle Schwarber to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead. But the deficit was short-lived. In the top half of the sixth, Astros slugger Jordan Alvarez hit a three-run home run off Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado that kept Houston’s lead at bay 3-1.
In addition to the heroics of Valdez and Alvarez, rookie shortstop Jeremy Pena had a pair of hits and was on base for Alvarez’s homer. This marks the second World Series title for the Astros franchise. Another came in 2017, when it was discovered that the Astros had illegally stolen signs.
Just picked up from a cleaner in Houston for some.
Jordan Alvarez drops a bomb on Philly’s hopes.
With two on and one out, Phillies manager Rob Thompson lifted Phillies reliever Zach Wheeler for lefty Jose Alvarado. Alvarado enjoyed the team’s advantage against Jordan Alvarez in his first at-bat, but he didn’t have much of a problem when you looked up close.
Yes, that’s a 450-foot game-changing home run to center field. Suffice it to say, that’s a clutch blast, and not the first time for Alvarez this postseason.
When Alvarez stepped up to the plate in the sixth, the game was essentially flipped 50-50. After touching the plate following his three-run blast, the Astros had an 84.3 percent chance of winning the game and the World Series. And that’s what happened.
Schwarber passed the pitcher’s bat and gave the Phillies hope
Game 6 starters Framber Valdez and Zach Wheeler went back-to-back in the sixth, and it looked, felt and smelled like one of those scoreless innings. But Schwarber wasn’t in a good mood in the top of the sixth as Valdez entered Philly’s lineup for the third time. On a 2-2 count, Valdez faced Schwarber with a low, inside sinker and Schwarber turned around for the game’s first run.
That one left the bat at 107.3 mph and traveled 395 feet. It was the first home run Schwarber had allowed since July 3 against Valdez at Minute Maid Park, and the second time a lefty had hit it all year.
It was Schwarber’s third home run of this World Series and sixth of the 2022 postseason. Speaking of which, here’s a new episode story:
More importantly, it gave the Phillies their first lead since Game 3. Unfortunately for Philly, it won’t last.
Houston’s pitching was excellent in the final games of the series.
Scoring depth has been the calling card of the Astros’ game, and they’ve played plenty to type this October and November. That depth dominated the final three games of this series as Houston’s pitching limited the Phillies to a combined three runs in Games 4, 5 and 6. Game 4, of course, was a no-hitter for the Astros.
The Astros have joined the next level of franchise.
The victory in Game 6 meant the Astros became the 21st MLB franchise to win multiple World Series titles. (The Phillies, incidentally, also have two). Of course, the Astros didn’t last that long in their MLB franchise deal. Their first season came in 1962. Among expansion franchises—that is, those established in the first round of expansion in 1962 or later—no team has more than two titles. The Astros now join the Mets, Blue Jays, Marlins and Royals as expansion teams that have won multiple titles.
Baker joined a famous company and probably earned him a place in the hall
Astros manager CT Gaston will become the third black manager in MLB history, joining the Blue Jays (1992 and 1993) and Dave Roberts of the Dodgers (2020).
Baker has been a consistent winner in the dugout for a quarter of a century or more. He recorded 2,093 hits and led five different clubs to division championships and the postseason. Baker probably should have been on his way to Cooperstown one day (and that’s to say nothing of his stellar playing career), and now that he’s won a World Series, he’s almost certainly bound for a statue. Baker came within five seasons of winning the World Series in 2002 with the Giants. Who would have thought that he would finish his work after 20 years?