Braves overcome adversity, dominate WS G1
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
HOUSTON -- Reliable pliability is how the 88-win Braves reached this 2021 World Series. And it’s the quality they summoned again against the Astros in a 6-2 victory in Game 1 on Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park that left both teams facing questions about what comes next.
In keeping with the theme of their season, the Braves got huge home runs in Game 1 from two of the outfielders acquired in the mad Trade Deadline dash to replace the lost production of injured star Ronald Acuña Jr. , with Jorge Soler becoming the first player to hit a true leadoff home run in the World Series and with Adam Duvall launching a two-run shot to the Crawford Boxes in left in the third inning.
And now, with the Astros always a threat to erupt offensively, it will likely take a village of arms for Atlanta to account for the substantial loss of Game 1 starter Charlie Morton to a fractured right fibula suffered on a comebacker -- an injury that stretched the Braves’ bullpen on this night and will test it the rest of the way.
“We've been through this many times this year,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker, “losing key components to our club. I mean, really key components. We're going to continue. It's not going to be an excuse or anything else. We're going to go out and continue to try and win games.”
Atlanta ably absorbed Morton’s unexpectedly early departure in the third inning, thanks to A.J. Minter ’s emergency effectiveness in the longest outing (by pitches, 43) of his big league career. But even in losing the opener, perhaps the Astros will find an opening if the innings grow more difficult for the Braves, who needed Minter, Luke Jackson , Tyler Matzek and Will Smith to cover 6 2/3 innings in Game 1.
For now, it can safely be said that this was not the way manager Dusty Baker’s Astros wanted this Series to start.
“Sometimes you get beat, and sometimes you give them the game,” Baker said. “We didn't give them anything tonight. We just got beat tonight .”
Starter Framber Valdez , who had been so impactful in helping Houston overcome the American League Championship Series absence of staff ace Lance McCullers Jr. , also made a third-inning exit , but for an entirely different reason.
Valdez was barraged by the Braves’ bats, who made him pay for his command issues with tons of hard contact. It was 2-0 after the first, 3-0 after the second, 5-0 after the third -- a bummer of a beginning for the orange-clad fans in the ballpark that, thanks to the Astros reaching this stage three times in the last five seasons, has become the de facto World Series Capital of the World.
“It was just the emotion of the situation, being the starter for Game 1 of the World Series, being the starter for the Astros in the World Series,” Valdez said through an interpreter. “I think it was that more than anything else. It was maybe trying to do a bit too much, throwing a bit too hard.”
Home-field advantage ain’t what it used to be.
The last victory for a World Series team in its home ballpark remains the Dodgers’ 18-inning walk-off over the Red Sox in Game 3 in 2018. The Astros had the Game 7 hosting duties in a 2019 World Series vs. the Nationals that famously was the first in which the home teams went 0-fer. And, of course, the pandemic forced the 2020 World Series between the Dodgers and Rays to be played at Globe Life Field in Arlington.
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"Valdez was barraged by the Braves’ bats, who made him pay for his command issues with tons of hard contact."
The game was lost early as Astros starter Framber Valdez was constantly behind in the count and very hitable when forced to throw a strike. The Braves would lose their starter Charlie Morton to injury when a grounder smashed into his right leg in the second inning. Morton actually amassed one more out than Houston counterpart Framber Valdez, marking the 20th and 21st time in 64 total starts this postseason that a starter failed to go beyond the third inning. Thirty have failed to complete four innings. Thirty-eight have failed to go five. Does anyone remember when starters were able to go 9 innings and complete games?
Good for them. Only caught 2 innings (was bouncing between this and an NHL game).
MLB must be tripping all over themselves that WS games will be played in Georgia after their political BS.
Or Houston - the team they made an example of for the sign stealing that was going on just about everywhere
Honestly I forgot about the sign stealing.
Either way, it should be a good series.
Agreed.