Astros (3-2), To Lead (3-2)

The Houston Astros, now (4-0) in games 5 of the World Series, won game 5 in Philadelphia last night, (3-2), to take a 3 games to 2 lead in the 2022 World Series.

Five years ago, the ‘Stros won a home #5, (1″3″-1″2″) to also take a 3 games to 2 W.S. lead. Then they went to L.A. and lost #6, (the 4th of 6 Verlander W.S. losses before his 1 run/5 innings, but gave (1-0) lead right back to first batter Kyle Schwarber’s solo homer), win last night).

However, they won #7 behind Charlie Morton and Lance McCullers, the latter I guess would be the Houston starter if there is a 7th. (He was the losing pitcher in #3).

What a shame: I watched none last night and so little, actually almost no baseball this season and thus cite ALCS MVP Jeremy Pena, a bit “late” in this post.

All 3 of Pena’s hits (an immediate “tuning” of Jose Altuve, who also has contributed in and around key scoring for now, the say 5 to 1 series favorite, (only 7 to 5 in #6), Houston, with a hit against the drawn in Phils infield with none out B1, He had solo HR to put Houston ahead to stay in the 4th and a single that sent Jose Altuve first to third with none out in the 7th) were vital in the 3 Houston runs.

This is the first time, either as a player or manager in his 6 World Series, that ‘Stros manager, Dusty Baker goes home with his team up 3 games to 2.

His ’81 Dodgers, the only title team for him as a player or manager, won at “The Yankees,” up (3-2) but his managed Giants up (5-0) in game 6 as late as the home team Angels’ 7th inning, lost both that game and the series.

Last night Baker went to his “closer” Ryan Pressly (finishing the usual tangent, Baker teams, down (3-2) in his 3 other World Series lost all of them in 6, as a manager with Houston vs the Braves last year and as a player, both ’77 at New York and in ’78 at L.A. vs the Yankees. Need I add, as/since Pressly was successful with help by big defensive plays from (inserted) Trey Mancini to end the 8th and Chas McCormick, 1 out none on, as he leaped against the wall to rob first game star, J.T. Realmuto, of at least a 1 out double, that ’77 which has the same calendar as 2022, was the year Elvis Presley died and this year, 2022 a fine movie about him was released) with Phils’ runners at the corners and only 1 out and “Hous” clinging to a (3-2) lead.

Pressly fanned Brandon Marsh and got Kyle Schwarber on a hot smash to Mancini, who was at the bag and fielded the fair ball and from there, easily retired Schwarber. 

Since the 1962 game 5 winner was the home team Yankees, as Tom Tresh, who hit some really clutch World Series home runs, the current road/home/home/road/road W.S. configuration/results had not manifested since 1951.

That is Walt Bond, pictured above. 

He stood 6 feet 7 inches tall (6 foot 5 inch Yord Alvarez drove in what proved to be the winning run for the Astros last night) and played for the Houston franchise both as the Colt-45’s and Astros in 1964 and 1965.

Sadly his death caused by leukemia in 1967 is one of many horrible blows, the franchise has suffered both on and off the playing field.