World Series Roundup: Astros clinch title after comeback win

Saturday had the potential to be the final day of the 2022 MLB season. After winning a tight Game 5, the Astros were set to come back to Houston with a 3-2 lead and a chance to clinch a championship. While the Phillies took a late-ish lead and fought hard — at least on the pitching front — it’s time for the offseason.

World Series Game 6

Houston Astros 4, Philadelphia Phillies 1

(Houston wins series 4-2)

Framber Valdez and Zack Wheeler kept exchanging zeroes until the deadlock was finally broken in the sixth inning. Needing some sort of spark to try and keep the series alive, the Phillies got that from Kyle Schwarber. He provided that when he led off the sixth inning with a home run.

To start the bottom of the sixth, Martín Maldonado led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch before getting replace on the base paths by José Altuve after a force out. A Jeremy Peña single then gave Houston runners on the corners with just one out in the inning, and brought Yordan Alvarez to the plate. At that point, the Phillies went to the bullpen and brought in José Alvarado. On the fourth pitch of Alvarez’s at-bat, he put a baseball into orbit.

The massive blast gave the Astros the lead and put them just nine outs away from a title. Before the inning was over, Houston also picked up an insurance run on a Christian Vázquez RBI single.

After that, the Astros also went to their bullpen to try and seal the deal. Héctor Neris good them off to a good start as he threw a 1-2-3 seventh inning. Bryan Abreu did likewise in the eighth, aided somewhat by a very strange Schwarber bunt attempt with two strikes and two outs that went foul and ended the inning.

Needing to rally, the Phillies did have the part of the lineup they would’ve wanted at the plate, with their 2-3-4 hitters due up. Houston brought in closer Ryan Pressly to try and seal the deal. After he got Rhys Hoskins to fly out, J.T. Realmuto then gave the Phillies some hope with a single. However, Pressly then bounced back and got the massive out of Bryce Harper with a fly out. Nick Castellanos, always potentially dangerous, especially in possible meme-worthy situations, came up as the Phillies’ last chance, but he popped up a foul ball on the first pitch he saw. Kyle Tucker tracked it down and Houston were champions.

Shortstop Jeremy Peña was named World Series MVP, becoming the first ever rookie position player to win the award. For the series, he hit .400/.423/.600.

It also marked the first ever World Series title as a manager for Dusty Baker. Even as a Yankees’ fan who can’t say I’m thrilled with this result, it’s hard not to feel at least a little good for him.

Anyway, at least that’s over.

Up Next

Well...nothing. That’s all for the 2022 MLB season. From a Yankees’ perspective, it was fun for awhile there, but ended very annoyingly. Pitchers and catchers reporting and the 2023 season will be here before you know it, but right now, that feels an eternity away. Now, on we go to what will be a very interesting offseason.