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Final thoughts
Well, so much for no surprises in this World Series as this writer predicted yesterday (check the clock). The Philadelphia Phillies came in knowing they had to win at least one of those first two away games at Minute Maid Park to have any chance of pulling off an upset against the Houston Astros. It was hard to think it would be this one, given that they fell behind 5-0 early.
However, their bullpen came in and gave them zeroes, while the Phillies’ opportunistic bats did their damage against Justin Verlander, the inexplicable World Series woes continue. The Astros bullpen managed to do their best to keep the Phillies off the board in regulation, but the 10th inning gave JT Realmuto a chance to hit the home run that made the difference. Now the pressure is on the Astros to even this series in Game 2 or find themselves in a deep hole.
We’ll continue to cover the 2022 World Series here at the Guardian, so stay tuned to see how the Astros respond. That, however, will be the end of our live blog from Game 1. Thanks to everyone who has been with us on this long and winding road, especially those who have contributed along the way. Bye!
The Philadelphia Phillies improbably came back from a 5-0 deficit to win the first game of the 2022 World Series, handing the Houston Astros their first postseason loss.
Phillies win! Phillies 6-5 Astros
Phillies 6-5 Astros, FINAL
Trey Mancini came up, but the Astros are going with Aledmys Diaz as a pinch-hitter. Diaz catches a ball that ends up being a wild pitch that puts Bregman at third. The next pitch almost goes to Diaz. 2-0. On the next pitch, Diaz tries to back up on the pitch, but coaches say he made no effort to get off it. It’s still called a ball. 3-0. Diaz has the green light and swings and misses. 3-1 It was a choice. On the next pitch, hit a routine roll and you’re done! The Phillies win wild in Game 1 of the World Series.
Phillies 6-5 Astros, 10th inning down
Gurriel is up with the tie on second base and two outs. He’s on strike. 0-1. Take a ball. 1-1 Get another ball out. 2-1 The next field? This is ball three. 3-1 And take the next pitch. The winning run is now on first base.
Phillies 6-5 Astros, 10th inning down
Oh no, this is Kyle Tucker. That’s not great for Robertson, who might end up throwing around his nemesis from Game 1. Tucker catches a fly ball and then hits a curveball into the corner. nothing to do 1-1 The next field is also missing. 1-2. The next field? ball two 2-2 On the next pitch, Robertson takes Tucker on a fishing exhibition. Tucker swings and misses both. It all depends on Yuli Gurriel.
Phillies 6-5 Astros, 10th inning down
Alex Bregman is next. He swings and misses to start his at-bat before catching a ball. 1-1 Bregman fouls out on the next pitch. 1-2. Bregman then hits a double that rings over the park fence and the Astros aren’t dead yet!
Phillies 6-5 Astros, 10th inning down
Dave Robertson is on the mound for the Phillies. This can’t be the same Dave Robertson who was with the Yankees, can it? (Check.) HOW? In any case, he is here to face Alvarez who fouls with the first ball he sees. He does the same with the second pitch. 0-2. It’s a foul outside the field three. The next field? So out. 1-2. Another swing, another foul hit ball. 1-2. And he chases Robertson’s next pitch, which is in the dirt, for strike three. The Phillies are two away from winning the first game.
The funniest thing that can happen now is for the Astros to score *exactly* a run here in the bottom of the 10th.
Phillies 6-5 Astros, 10th inning
Jean Segura, one of those hitters whose full names you can’t help but use, is on the rise again. He needs the first pitch he sees out and the second. Hitters keep falling behind in this series, and yet it’s still a lot of hard at-bats with lots and lots of foul balls. Like here, Segura fouls out on the third pitch he sees offside. Still 0-2. Segura then lines out to end the inning, but the damage is done. The Astros have three more outs to play before falling 0-1 in the 2022 World Series.
Phillies 6-5 Astros, 10th inning
The Astros aren’t panicking, Ryne Stanek says. His first pitch to Stott is a ball. 1-0. On his next throw, he misses it just out of reach. 1-1 Stott drops another, 1-2. The next field? right outside 2-2 Stott makes another foul. 2-2 This tone is low. 3-2 The next field? On top. That’s a 4-2 count and since that’s not a thing, Stott takes first base. The Phillies keep the line moving.
Justin Kavanagh Email:
I just walked the dog here in Philly, and this wonderful Alex Ferguson description of bum time makes the whole neighborhood sound like a brass band warming up before the hour show
Well, it’s about to get even crunchier if the Phillies can’t add a run here. They will need three more outs against the heart of the Astros offense.
Phillies 6-5 Astros, 10th inning
Alec Bohm is out with a runner on first and now one out. He’s on strike. 0-1. The next field is outside. 1-1 Bohm hits a bouncer that results in a rooftop. Castellanos is on second, but the Phillies now have just one out left to bring him home for insurance. Dusty Baker makes a pitching change.
Phillies 6-5 Astros, 10th inning
Castellanos, who saved the game with his ninth-inning catch, now has a play on and nobody out. The Phillies would love to take the lead here and avoid having to hold a one-run lead against a formidable offense. Castellanos swings and can’t get anything. On his next swing, he hit a fielder’s choice that wiped out Harper at second.
Phillies 6-5 Astros, 10th inning
The air was sucked out of Minute Maid Park with that home run. Garcia takes on Harper next and goes up 0-2. Harper misses the next one. Still 0-2. The next field, outside. 1-2. He takes the next pitch and hits it for a single.
Run home! (Phillies) Phillies 6-5 Astros
Phillies 6-5 Astros, 10th inning
Luis Garcia is pitching for the Astros, who must feel like they should be out of this game. He will face JT Realmuto. Can that jolt in the bottom of the ninth spark the Phillies’ offense here in the top of the 10th? Take a ball and then a hit. 1-1 Garcia gets Realmuto to swing and miss here. 1-2. The next release is way off the mark. 2-2 Garcia has a funky, back-and-forth rock delivery that I’m into. His 2-2 pitch is… a cut away. 3-2 Realmuto hits the next one to right field for a game-tying home run! The Phillies have their first lead of the game and it comes at a perfect time!
We are heading to extra tickets. Phillies 5-5 Astros
Phillies 5-5 Astros, 9th inning down
Peña flies out and it looks like this could be the game-winning hit, but Castellanos makes a game-saving catch in the infield to send this one into extra innings!
Phillies 5-5 Astros, 9th inning down
The fielders were not well positioned and that leaves the inning alive for Peña. On Dominquez’s next throw, a ball, Altuve breaks out and reaches second base. The catcher’s pitch, however, only made contact with Altuve before falling to second. so it is under review.
And the call remains: sure!
Phillies 5-5 Astros, 9th inning down
Altuve finishes. 0-1. Take a ball. 1-1 That already looks like a better at-bat than most Altuve has had. He swings and fails at the next offering. 1-2. Altuve fouls out on a throw. Still pending, still 1-2. On the next throw, it flies…but the ball falls! It falls and at first it is safe!
Phillies 5-5 Astros, 9th inning down
Christian Vazquez, formerly of the Boston Red Sox, is here in place of Maldonado. I told you pinch was in our near future and here we are. However, he falls behind 1-2 fairly quickly, before taking ball two. 2-2 Vazquez has some pop in his bat, or at least he did in Boston. The next field is outside. 3-2 Just one walk would keep the line moving for Houston.
Instead, Vázquez is called to strike three. The plate umpire looks for help from the first base coach, who calls him over. That’s two down. Altuve represents Houston’s last chance to avoid extras.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, 9th inning down
Dominguez starts the bottom of the ninth facing McCormick. He swings and misses the first pitch. 0-1. McCormick swings again, and it’s 0-2 again. Take a ball. 1-2. The next field. This is too high. 2-2 On the next pitch, McCormick swings and misses. That’s a downer.
Well, this was a much more exciting game than it looked after the Astros went up 5-0 early. Can they walk it or are we going to extra entries?
If the latter is the case, know that there are no “ghost runners” in extra innings during the postseason. Instead, they play under the actual rules of baseball.
Phillies 5-5 Astros, top ninth inning
Two out in the ninth. Hoskins catches a ball and takes a home run on the next pitch, but misses. Pressly could have gotten away with one there. 1-1 He takes another swing and lifts it up. Let’s go to the end of the ninth all tied up!
Updated at 04.44 BST
Phillies 5-5 Astros, top ninth inning
Schwarber, the taco delivery guy, is next. Pressly throws a breaking pitch too low. 1-0. The next pitch is a strike Schwarber couldn’t have made if he had swung. 1-1 The next pitch is low and a ball is called. The crowd at Minute Main Park disagrees. 2-1 The next release speaks more in his favor. 2-2 Schwarber fouls out the next out. Still 2-2. It feels like a chess match at this point in the game. The next pitch is a ball away. 3-2 The next field? Grab the corner! Strike three! Wow!
Phillies 5-5 Astros, top ninth inning
Ryan Pressly is pitching for the Astros. It’s not…