World Series 2022 Game 1: Philadelphia Phillies v Houston Astros – live! | World Series

Key events

Two-run double! (Phillies!) Phillies 3-5 Astros

Phillies 3-5 Astros, top 4th inning

And Bohm hits a double, it’s all of a sudden a two-run game! That’s an answer for you!

RBI single! (Phillies) Phillies 1-5 Astros

Phillies 1-5 Astros, top 4th inning

Just bad luck for Philadelphia there as that was just a little too hard-hit to get that runner in from second base completely safely. Castellanos is up next with a chance here, but he quickly fouls off the next two pitches to fall into a 0-2 hole. He just barely holds on to his swing on a slider quite far away from where he could have possibly hit it. On 1-2, Castellanos golfs a base hit that scores Hoskins and sends Harper to second.

Phillies 0-5 Astros, top 4th inning

Runner in scoring position for Bryce Harper, batting with two outs. Harper hits a base hit but Hoskins can’t score from second and has to stay at third base.

Phillies 0-5 Astros, top 4th inning

Verlander gets into a 0-2 count on Realmuto. The heart of the order is up here with Hoskins on base. He hits a comebacker to Verlander who is able to corral the ball and toss it to first for the out. Hoskins makes it to second on the play, however.

Phillies 0-5 Astros, top 4th inning

Hoskins with a base hit. So, no no-no for Justin Verlander this game.

Phillies 0-5 Astros, top 4th inning

This might be a big inning for Philadelphia. Do they start chipping away at the lead or they fold? Schwarber is up next and he’s definitely the team’s best bit to start making things happen. Unfortunately, Verlander is still in the game.

Verlander throws a pitch out of the zone. 1-0. Schwarber swings at the next pitch, makes no contact. 1-1. He gets a strike call on the next pitch and then fouls the next one off. 1-2. The next pitch looks a bit like strike three but gets called a ball. 2-2. On the next pitch Schwarber flies out to center.

Phillies 0-5 Astros, bottom 3rd inning

Mancini is up here. He takes a strike and fouls a ball off. He’s down 0-2, but again the last time Nola got a batter in that count it ended badly for him. Mancini fouls another off, still 0-2. He then grounds out to short. The inning is over but Houston is up big early.

Phillies 0-5 Astros, bottom 3rd inning

So I’m thinking that this is the Kyle Tucker Game unless the Phillies pull off a massive comeback. Meanwhile, this inning continues for Nola, who now has to face Yuli Gurriel. The good news is that the bases are empty? Gurriel takes the first three pitches and comes out ahead 2-1. He then fouls the next pitch off. 2-2. He then grounds out into the infield and that’s finally the second out of the inning.

Three-run home run! (Astros) Phillies 0-5 Astros

Phillies 0-5 Astros, bottom 3rd inning

And here’s Tucker again. He has a chance to be a hometown legend this at-bat. He hits Nola’s first pitch foul and then takes a strike. 0-2. Nola tries to get him to chance with a low ball but there’s no dice. 1-2. He wouldn’t mind a strikeout right here, one imagines. The next pitch is a ball in the dark. Didn’t get it there. 2-2. Tucker breaks his bat on the next pitch, the ball goes foul and out of play. Still 2-2. The next pitch is outside. 3-2. A much tougher at bat than this seemed it would be after Tucker fell 0-2. The payoff pitch.. Tucker hits yet another home run! OH MY GOODNESS!

Phillies 0-2 Astros, bottom 3rd inning

Alex Bregman is up with a chance to drive in a third run the easy way. He takes Nola’s first pitch as a ball, then does the same with the second. 2-0. Nola’s third pitch in the at-bat is called a strike looking. 2-1. Bregman has yet to swing. Ball three. Still no swing. 3-1. And he doesn’t swing at ball four. It’s now first and third. Still just one out.

Phillies 0-2 Astros, bottom 3rd inning

Álvarez legs out an infield single that lets Peña make it to third. However, the Phillies challenge it and they may be right. It looks like he’s out on replay. And, indeed, he’s out at first but the runner at third remains with just one out.

Phillies 0-2 Astros, bottom 3rd inning

Peña is up again for the Astros in the bottom of the third. Houston have already scored the amount of runs I had them winning in my prediction, so I’ve found myself in the weird position of hoping for absolutely no further baseball action. Nola starts him off with a ball. 1-0. Peña swings and misses and then… tries to bunt himself on? Weird leadoff strategy, but the ball goes foul so no harm, no foul.

Well, okay, so that counts as a strike so there’s a little bit of harm and the ball did go foul so maybe that was the wrong expression.

In any case, He fouls a ball off and then hits a double. The lesson: never bunt.

Phillies 0-2 Astros, top 3rd inning

Brandon Marsh pops up on the first pitch he sees, but it’s out of play so it’s just a strike. 0-1. Marsh has one of those old-timey prospectors’ beards. In fact, this is a bit of a hairy ballclub in general, very much not a dress code like the Yankees. Marsh fouls the next pitch off and then takes strike three. So Verlander faces the minimum through three.

Phillies 0-2 Astros, top 3rd inning

Jean Segura hits a grounder to third and makes quick work of himself, as well.

Phillies 0-2 Astros, top 3rd inning

Bryson Stott is up facing Verlander for the first time with his team now down 0-2. He takes a ball, a strike and then fouls one back to quickly fall into a 1-2 hole. So it’s time for him to start playing the role of the spoiler, spoiling off the next pitch to keep himself alive. The next pitch is far too tall. 2-2. The next one isn’t anywhere Stott can find it. He swings away and gets himself out.

Phillies 0-2 Astros, bottom 2nd inning

Altuve hits into a double play to end the inning, but Houston has an early lead to put the Phillies into an early hole. Exactly what they wanted to avoid.

Run-scoring single! (Astros) Phillies 0-2 Astros

Phillies 0-2 Astros, bottom 2nd inning

Martín Maldonado is up next and should just be looking to avoid a strikeout here. Nola’s first pitch is another called strike. His next, is just out of the bottom of the zone. 1-1. Maldonado takes a wild swing out of a breaking ball that just grazes the bottom of the strike zone. Fantastic pitch, that. 1-2. Maldonado fouls it off, as he does with the next pitch. Still 1-2, with the Houston catcher still trying to extend this battle.

And he does, he hits a grounder that sneaks in for a single. Astros with a two run lead!

Phillies 0-1 Astros, bottom 2nd inning

Chas McCormick is next up. He takes a ball. 0-1. The next pitch, that’s a called strike. On pitch three, McCormick just gets some wood on it and jams a single into rightfield. Gurriel makes it to third on the play, and there is still just one out. He could potentially score on an out.

Phillies 0-1 Astros, bottom 2nd inning

With a runner on first, Mancini has a chance to keep things going with zero outs recorded so far. Nola’s first pitch is a called strike. On 0-1, Mancini takes a ball. 1-1. The next pitch, Mancini fouls it off. 1-2. Nola’s next pitch? Outside. 2-2. He gets Mancini to chase on the next ball, however, for the inning’s first out.

Phillies 0-1 Astros, bottom 2nd inning

Yuli Gurriel is up next and he hits a single to centerfield. Nola might be rattled a bit. Next up, Trey Mancini.

Astros home run! (Phillies 0-1 Astros)

Phillies 0-1 Astros, bottom 2nd inning

Kyle Tucker is up next for the Astros, facing Aaron Nola. Nola’s first pitch is a ball and his second is taken for a strike. On pitch three, Kyle Tucker hits it a long way and he breaks the scoreless tie with a 359 foot home run.

They are now playing Ludacris songs in advertisements to trigger nostalgia. Man I feel old.

Phillies 0-0 Astros, top 2nd inning

Alec Bohm is up next to see if he can get the game’s first hit. He fouls off Verlander’s first pitch. 0-1. The next pitch, he hits it out of play. 0-2. He does the same thing with the next pitch. 0-2, still. He finally hits the next ball fair, but it’s a little dribbler back to the pitcher who takes care of it by flipping it to first for the inning’s third out.

Phillies 0-0 Astros, top 2nd inning

The struggling Nick Castellanos is up next and he continues to struggle, popping up to first.

Phillies 0-0 Astros, top 2nd inning

Bryce Harper leads off the second for Philadelphia. He swings wildly at Verlander’s first pitch. 0-1. The next pitch, same deal. 0-2. Not that he’s normally much less dangerous with two strikes against him. Never mind, he swings at pitch three and that’s about as good as you can handle a hitter like Harper.

Phillies 0-0 Astros, bottom 1st inning

Alex Bregman is up next and he pops out promptly so Nola gets a 1-2-3 inning as well.

Phillies 0-0 Astros, bottom 1st inning

Jeremy Peña also falls behind 0-2. Nola tries to get him to chase a knuckle curve out of the zone, no dice. His next curve is similarly unappetizing. The next pitch is a sinker that’s called for a strike. So that’s two straight ks for Nola, who is getting help from a rather wide strike zone.

Phillies 0-0 Astros, bottom 1st inning

Aaron Nola is up for the Phillies, pitching to Jose Altuve, leading off for Houston. He gets Altuva in a 0-2 hole immediately. A good start. His next pitch is way outside and Altuve doesn’t chase. Altuve then fouls the next pitch off. 1-2. On the next pitch, he does get Altuve to swing out of the zone for the first out of the half-inning.

Phillies 0-0 Astros, top 1st inning

J.T. Realmuto is up next and the best catcher in the game takes two straight balls. There’s a reason why he’s hitting in the heart of the Phillies lineup. The third pitch is also a ball, if he gets on that’s trouble because that means Bryce Harper. The 3-0 pitch is a strike. As is the 3-1 pitch, at least it’s called on the corner. 3-2. Realmuto pulls it and flies out to end the inning. 1-2-3 inning for Verlander.

Phillies 0-0 Astros, top 1st inning.

Rhys Hoskins flies out on two pitches. Two down in the first for Verlander.

Phillies 0-0 Astros, top 1st inning.

The next pitch is a strike, also taken looking. It’s not until the third pitch that Schwarber swings, fouling off the pitch. He then takes two straight balls before fouling off another offering. However, Verlander’s next pitch is taken right down the middle for strike three.

First pitch!

Phillies 0-0 Astros, top 1st inning.

Justin Verlander throws the first pitch and it’s a strike to Kyle Schwarber.

@HunterFelt I think the Phillies are making a mistake going with Nola in Game 1. Wheeler’s been better this postseason and has the extra velocity. Put your best guy out there in Game 1. That’s Zack Wheeler.

— Nicholas Varley (@npvarley) October 28, 2022

Possibly but in my opinion, the Phillies are just looking for a split here, so who goes in Game 1 and who goes in Game 2 might not matter in a seven-game series as opposed to, say, a three or five game one.

The Astros dynasty talk is already on the FOX broadcast. They need at least three World Series titles and honestly, considering the circumstances of their first and only championship so far, that might not be enough to avoid an unspoken asterisk.

Astros starting lineup

1. José Altuve, 2B

2. Jeremy Peña, SS

3. Yordan Álvarez , LF

4. Alex Bregman, 3B

5. Kyle Tucker, RF

6. Yuli Gurriel, 1B

7. Trey Mancini, DH

8. Chas McCormick, CF

9. Martín Maldonado, C

Pitcher: Justin Verlander

Phillies starting lineup

1. Kyle Schwarber, LF

2. Rhys Hoskins, 1B

3. J.T. Realmuto, C

4. Bryce Harper, DH

5. Nick Castellanos, RF

6. Alec Bohm, 3B

7. Bryson Stott, SS

8. Jean Segura, 2B

9. Brandon Marsh, CF

Pitcher: Aaron Nola

Prediction

Well, I already have the Astros winning in five games back during this morning’s predictions, so I guess I’m going with there only being a 1/5th chance of this being a Philadelphia victory so I’m obliged to go with the Astros.

If Philly can win one of these two road games, this suddenly looks like a much longer World Series. My thought is that they would have to do that tomorrow as today Verlander finally picks up his first career World Series win as the Astros win a low-scoring game. Let’s say 2-0. Have differing thoughts? Email them to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com or tweet them to @HunterFelt, we’ll share them here.

How the Astros got here

The Astros had an even easier time than the Phillies. After establishing themselves as the most dangerous team in the American League with their 106-56 regular season record, Houston managed to avoid falling into any trouble like the other 100-win teams this year.

The Astros took off the Wild Card round altogether and faced only a tiny bit of adversity in their NLDS match against the Seattle Mariners. However, it seemed less like the Astros were ever at risk and more like they were playing around with their opponents. They defeated the Mariners in a come-from-behind manner in Game 1 and then closed them out in a Game 3 that lasted eighteen innings.

The Astros gave no such quarter to the New York Yankees, sweeping them in four games. Now, the Astros have played the minimum amount of games in the postseason. The Phillies have the momentum, but given that the last time there was any baseball being played was Sunday, that might not mean much this time around. Meanwhile, the Astros are looking to become the first MLB team with a perfect postseason record.

How the Phillies got here

Well, it wasn’t for their regular season performance. The Phillies went 87-75 in the regular season and just barely snuck into the playoffs via the Wild Card after landing in third place in the NL East. However, the team was a different team heading into the postseason, having found a new identity under interim manager Rob Thomson while riding Bryce Harper’s hot bat.

So far, the Phillies defeated the St Louis Cardinals in two games in their Wild Card series. They then beat the Atlanta Braves in four games in the NLDS and wiped out the San Diego Padres in five games NLCS. It’s been an impressive run, it’s just that their opponents have been slightly more successful.

The Astros vs the Phillies

So now is the time when we ask: which team deserves it more?

Well, believe it or not, the Astros, despite their recent success, have only one World Series win to their name (in 2017) in contrast to the Phillies, who have won two (in 1980 and 2008). That one World Series win was considered somewhat tainted, given that it occurred while the team had a system in place that was based around the team illegally stealing signs.

It’s partly because the Astros have won the AL pennant three times since winning that disputed title that they have emerged as a juggernaut. They won’t have many non-local fans cheering for them now.

It won’t help that the Phillies are historical underdogs (although the “lovable loser” tag is not one that fans ever embraced). Considering that the Phillies were established in 1883, well before the first World Series was played in 1903 (in comparison, the Astros were formed in 1962 as the Houston Colt. 45s). Until their first series win in 1980, the Phillies were considered a perennial failure in MLB. While, say, Mets fans probably are not going to root for their rivals, it’s easy to understand why they might be sentimental favorites.

Where to watch Game 1 of the World Series

First things first. Where exactly do you want to watch tonight’s World Series Game 1?

In the US, it’s relatively simple, you can watch live on FOX and also listen on your local ESPN Radio affiliate or, barring that, ESPNradio.com. The start time, again, is 8:03 pm EST.

In the UK, you can screen it on BT Sports starting at 1:03 BST and, online, through the BT Sports app. I’m sure there are other ways of going about it, but I am going to keep away from any ethical grey area here.

Preamble

So much for making predictions. When trying to guess the fate of the various teams before this year’s MLB playoffs, this writer listed the Philadelphia Phillies as being the eleventh-ranked team out of twelve, just above the swiftly booted Tampa Bay Rays. Here’s what I wrote about their chances:

They might have the worst defense of all the remaining postseason teams and are limping into the playoffs. Plus they have a lot of uncertainty in their bullpen so everything needs to go right for Philadelphia for them to make a deep run.

Well, guess what: everything has gone perfectly right for the Phillies, they didn’t even need an opening round bye to improbably make their way to the World Series. Now, of course, they are facing their ultimate test, going against the heavily favored Houston Astros: the team that everybody was expecting to be here.

The best team in the American League made a relatively easy go-around in the postseason. The Astros haven’t lost a game and even when they’ve gotten into trouble, the outcome really hasn’t felt all that much in danger.

For tonight’s crucial Game 1, tonight we have future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander on the mound for the Astros, the Guardian’s Daniel Levitt wrote about him earlier in this season. Meanwhile, while, ace Aaron Nola will be on the mound for the Phillies. That suggests that we’ll be in for a pitcher’s duel this time around, although these playoffs have been going out of their way to defy expectations.

If you want to join in the discussion, contact us and we’ll be including your thoughts along the way. You can email us (to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com) or send a Tweet (if Elon Musk hasn’t driven you off the site, you can send those to @HunterFelt) and we’ll reproduce it in these spaces.

It’s Game 1 of the World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies against the Houston Astros at Houston’s Minute Maid Park. The game is scheduled to start at 8:03 pm EST but I suspect that the networks won’t let it start for a few minutes afterward. We will be back before then to fill out some backstory about how both of these teams made it this far.



https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2022/oct/29/world-series-2022-game-1-philadelphia-phillies-v-houston-astros-live World Series 2022 Game 1: Philadelphia Phillies v Houston Astros – live! | World Series

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