Through two games of the World Series, the drama that usually comes with the Fall Classic has been non-existent.
But at least we have a tied series.
The Houston Astros bounced back from a game one loss Wednesday night, jumping on Atlanta pitcher Max Fried early, and evening the series at a game apiece with a 7-2 win.
In a fun twist, the roof at Minute Maid Park was opened up for game two, potentially helping a Houston offense that scored just two runs in game one.
“They knew that we needed that game,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said of his club. “And the roof being open, I mean, rarely is it open. Usually, it’s not that cool. Usually, it’s humid and muggy, and you welcome the roof closed. So it was different.”
Houston scored four runs in the bottom half of the second inning — all on singles — giving starting pitcher Jose Urquidy a four-run cushion.
“It gets to be like a feeding frenzy, and everybody wants to get in on it,” Baker said of the Astros’ four-run second inning. “I was just hoping that we could score some more because you know they were going to threaten before too long.
“You never really feel comfortable during these playoffs and the World Series. You’re always wanting more.”
Urquidy — who gave up six runs in his game three outing in the ALCS — went five innings, giving up just two runs and six hits.
He handed the game to the Astros bullpen with a three-run lead in the sixth inning, and the Braves managed just one hit the rest of the way.
Jose Altuve, hitting just .178 in the postseason before game two, went 2-5 including a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. It was the 22nd postseason home run for Altuve, tying him for second all-time in postseason home runs with Bernie Williams. Manny Ramirez tops the list with 29 postseason home runs.
“To hit 22 homers in playoffs and tie him … it means a lot to me,” Altuve said. “It makes me keep going out there, hitting homers to help my team, to keep accomplishing things like this.”
Braves starter Max Fried had a rough outing, giving up six earned runs, though he did manage to give Atlanta’s bullpen a bit of a rest as he managed to get through five innings.
“That’s terrific for him to be able to get into the sixth there, especially after they were able to score the runs they did,” Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud said. “It gave our bullpen the rest they needed.”
With the season-ending injury to ace Charlie Morton, the Braves bullpen will be heavily relied on by manager Brian Snitker.
“The bullpen’s going to play a big part, obviously, in what we’ve got going on because we lost a huge starter,” said Snitker, who will start Ian Anderson in Friday’s Game 3. “We’re going to have probably two games in a row that we’re going to pitch 18 innings out of that bullpen.”
The World Series heads to Atlanta for games three through five, with first pitch for game three taking place at 8:09 p.m. ET on Friday.
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member.
Source: Dailywire
