Game 5 provided high drama for the first time in the World Series since Game 1, but with a different one-run result. The Houston Astros took down a 3-2 win and lead the series by the same count going into Game 6 on Saturday night. The Philadelphia Phillies now need to win two games at Minute Maid Park to be the champion, the same thing that the Washington Nationals had to do back in 2019.
It will be Game 2 hero Framber Valdez for the Astros and Zack Wheeler for the Phillies, as Philadelphia pushed him back a bit to get a little bit of extra rest after experiencing lowered velocity in Houston’s 5-2 victory last Saturday. Is the MLB season over tonight or will the Phillies push the Fall Classic to a decisive Game 7?
If this rematch of Game 2 plays out in a similar fashion, the Astros will be the first team to celebrate winning the World Series at home since 2013. Valdez went 6.1 spectacular innings with nine strikeouts against three walks and four hits. He allowed one run in the seventh as he was reaching the end of his rope. In true Valdez fashion, he had a 7/1 ground ball ratio in the game.