*Photo from the New York Post*
Atlanta wins series 4-2
The theme of the 2021 Atlanta Braves has been resilience. So, it was unsurprising that Max Fried dominated after being spiked on the ankle in the first inning. Jorge Soler homered, Freddie Freeman homered and drove in two runs, and the Braves defeated the Houston Astros 7-0 on Tuesday night.
With the win, the Braves have officially won the 2021 world series. It was their first world series appearance since 1999, when they got swept by the Yankees, and it was their first title since 1995, 26 years ago. And this is a team that had the lowest win total, winning 88 games, of any of the teams in the playoff field this year. And yet, they're still champions.
It's even more incredible when you look at the talent that left this season. Ender Inciarte was DFA'd in the middle of the season. Marcell Ozuna was arrested on memorial day weekend for domestic assault. Mike Soroka never threw a pitch this season due to a torn achilles. Ronald Acuna Jr tore his ACL and was out for the season just before the all star break. In the world series, Charlie Morton broke his ankle in game one. Yet they're still here.
Freeman talked about the theme of the season for the Braves, saying that "We hit every bump we could possibly hit this year and somehow the car still made it to the other side. It’s just an incredible group."
What did it for the Braves was a very successful trade deadline. Despite being left off the playoff rosters, Richard Rodriguez was added to the bullpen from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Adam Duvall was acquired from the Marlins for Alex Jackson. Soler was acquired from the Royals for a minor league reliever. Eddie Rosario was acquired from the Indians for Pablo Sandoval. Joc Pederson was acquired from the Cubs for a minor league first baseman. That's why they're champions.
Braves manager Brian Snitker was in awe postgame, saying that "I’m honored and blessed to be sitting here in front of you guys as a world champion. It’s something you dream about, but I don’t know if you ever feel like it’s going to be a reality."
In the 3rd inning, Soler gave the Braves a 3-0 lead, blasting a mammoth 3 run home run totally out of Minute Maid Park, measured at 446 feet. In the 5th inning, Dansby Swanson annihilated a two run home run to left field, increasing the Braves lead to 5-0. Later that inning, an RBI double from Freeman made it a 6-0 game. In the 7th, Freeman made it a 7-0 game thanks to a solo home run to center field.
After being spiked on his ankle by Michael Brantley on a play at first base in the first inning, Max Fried stayed in. And he leveled up. Fried dominated the Astros, throwing 6 shutout innings while allowing 4 hits, walking no one and striking out 6 hitters, getting the win in the clinching game. Tyler Matzek allowed just one hit while striking out 4 hitters in two shutout innings, and Will Smith shut the Astros down in the 9th, sealing the world series title.
Swanson talked about the feeling of winning the title, saying that "I’m still a little numb from it all and I feel like I’ll probably be that way for a few days. But there’s no other better place for this to happen. Atlanta is home. So I feel right at home taking this back home."
Pitching on short rest, Luis Garcia did not last long in his start for the Astros. Garcia allowed 3 runs on the home run to Soler, lasting 2 2/3 innings. Cristian Javier allowed two runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief. Blake Taylor and Ryne Stanek allowed one run each in their outings. Brooks Raley, Phil Maton, Ryan Pressly, and Yimi Garcia pitched.
The Astros, with the loss, have now lost two world series in the last 3 years, having not won a title since the infamous cheating scandal in 2017. In 2018 and 2020, they made the ALCS, only to get bounced. Their title window is still open, but it's closing a little more every season.
Astros shortstop Carlos Correa said of the loss that "I think it was great, their pitching. They were really good. Fried tonight was lights-out. They shut us down. I don't think it's just a problem with our guys. It's just them executing pitches. We always say when there's really good pitching, and they're executing, it's hard to hit. So they did a really good job."
Both teams enter the offseason with a big name free agent. Freeman is hitting free agency, his Braves career potentially in jeopardy. Correa, a former first overall pick, is hitting free agency, likely leaving the Astros this winter. Let the offseason begin.
Comments
Post a Comment