he Houston Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 on Thursday night to take a 3-2 series lead. The World Series will shift back to Houston on Saturday night with the Phillies facing elimination.
Houston took a 1-0 lead two batters into the game when Jeremy Peña drove in Jose Altuve with a single off Noah Syndergaard. Syndergaard was able to hold the Astros to the one run in the inning.
Philadelphia punched back when Kyle Schwarber homered off Justin Verlander to lead off the Phillies half of the inning.
That would be all the Phillies could muster until the 8th.
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The Phillies had multiple opportunities to open the game but Verlander was able to settle in and shut the Phillies down.
Peña struck again in the 4th dropping a solo home run into the first row of the left field seats. The 25-year old rookies 4th postseason home run would prove to be the game winner.
Verlander made it through five innings and the Houston bullpen once again shutdown the Phillies bats through the 7th inning.
The Astros added an insurance run in the 8th on Yordan Alvarez’s RBI ground out to make it 3-1. While ruled a hit, the ball was misplayed by Rhys Hoskins at first allowing Altuve to scamper home.
The Phillies fought back in the 8th. Jean Segura drove in a run after walks to Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott to make it 3-2. Schwarber hit a laser to first that was nabbed by Trey Mancini taking away an extra base hit that likely would’ve given the Phillies the lead.
Houston closer Ryan Pressly completed a 5-out save, but not without some drama.
Pressly got the first out setting down Hoskins with a strikeout. Chas McCormick made a tremendous catch crashing into the right centerfield wall for the second out. Bryce Harper reached after being hit by a pitch. Pressly ended the game getting Nick Castellanos to ground to short.
The loss puts the Phillies on the brink of elimination and the Astros one win from a World Championship.
The series will return to Houston on Saturday night. The Phillies will send Zack Wheeler to the mound in an attempt to stave off elimination. Houston will counter with Framber Valdez, who was nearly untouchable in his Game 2 win.
