Braves v Astros — World Series Game 5
Martin Maldonado carries his team kicking and screaming into a Game 6 and the World Series is still alive.
Martin Maldonado carries his team kicking and screaming into a Game 6 and the World Series is still alive.
A cursory glance at the blogs below will hopefully demonstrate this UK stationed fan’s appreciation hence far of the “Big Dance” across the pond. I’ve tended to begin with a preamble and a prediction written hours before and then get into the meat of the inning by inning plays. But not tonight. Tonight was old school night for this Los Angeles Dodger and with the lights off, kettle constantly boiling and a rich supply of biscuits, I settled down with Joe Buck and Hall of Famer John Smoltz in the dark and with no way of making any notes, and just simply enjoyed a wonderful ball game. The main reason for doing so and recording it slightly differently here too was as a thanks for the simple joy watching baseball gives me (as it was possibly the last game of the season) and a throwback to being a kid again and watching “Sunday Night Baseball” in the dark as a 15 year old.
Besides, the Atlanta Braves were on the cusp of winning the whole damn “Show”, they were on fire and seemingly way ahead of the underperforming Houston Astros and just one win away from winning it all. I’d predicted Houston in six games, so that was dead in the water and as I turned off the lights I predicted to myself a win for the Braves and the culmination and the razzamatazz of everything that goes with winning baseball’s World Series. And what better way to do so than with flagons of freshly brewed tea and in the dark with John Smoltz?
At the bottom of the 1st inning and with the bases loaded, up strode Adam Duvall for the home team Braves and launched a huge Home Run into the bouncing stands of Braves fanatics with a Grand Slam Home Run, 4 personal RBI’s and 4 runs for his team. As the Braves entered the top of the 2nd Inning they had a 4–0 lead and were 8 innings away from a World Series victory and their first since 1995.
So what went wrong?
Braves v Astros. Game 4 of the Baseball World Series.
After a come from behind win, is it written in the baseball stars for the Atlanta Braves as they lead 3–1 in the Series…medium.com
Braves v Astros — World Series, Game 3
Braves set all sorts of records in a 2 hit, 2 run win in Game 3 and take a 2–1 lead into Game 4.medium.com
World Series Game 2 — Houston v Atlanta
Jose Urquidy strikes out 7, goes 5 strong and gets the win as the Astros level the World Series at 1–1.medium.com
World Series Game 1 — Astros v Braves
The Visiting Braves follow their tried and trusted method, win 6–2 and perhaps set a precedent for this years “Big…medium.com
4–0 became 4–2 and the Astros had squared the score at 4–4 by as early as the top of the 3rd Inning before home town hero Freddie Freeman tattooed a huge Home Run, almost as if to restore order, and in the bottom of the 3rd the Braves were in the lead again, now 5–4 as opposed to 4–0. The Astros have many players to thank for the comeback from 4–0 down and to be only 1 run behind after a third of the game was complete. Altuve scored 2 runs tonight, Brantley walked twice, Correa and Gurriel together clubbed 6 hits with 3 RBI’s, Bregman got a hit and Kyle Tucker continued his post season form with a bare handed hit, 2 runs and 2 walks. After a third of the game and at 5–4 down, the Astros would benefit from all of their seasoned guys all night, at last, at long last, but the plaudits fall to catcher Martin Maldonado, who throughout tonight’s game came up with a hit to advance runners, keep the line moving and plate scoring runners.
I am but a fan of baseball, nothing more, but judging on Joe Buck and John Smoltz’s commentary as well as scurrilous baseball rumours, Martin Maldonado fits a prototypical “baseball story” of yore. He’s severely cold with the bat and only in the game because of his outstanding defensive abilities behind the plate and every pitcher wants “Maldy” catching him. The clubhouse adore him. Dusty Baker no doubt adores him. But the catcher just can’t get a hit for his team. Until tonight.
The official stats show him with just one hit but I thought he had two (the curse of no written notes). Regardless, the hit he officially made, as well as the brilliant walk he worked plated three runners in the 5th Inning to take a 7–5 lead and as the Astros tacked on runs in the 7th and 8th innings, the Braves were shut out by a rolling bullpen that gave up 4 hits but also 6 big strikeouts. With Maldonado behind the plate, Phil Maton again impressed with 2 strong innings of 2 hits but 3 strikeouts in a commanding show.
It was a combined and surprising showing from the Astros who seemed dead and buried before first pitch and then 4–0 down inside an inning, but they rallied brilliantly with superb back up pitching after Valdez leaked runs early and finally, finally, scored some runs!
But the night belongs to Maldonado and he’s dragged his team home to Houston for a Game 6 and the “October Classic” tiptoes and slightly dances into November. If Houston win Game 6 we all have a Game 7 “Big Dance” to look forward to on Wednesday.
This UK fan, signing off at 5.13am would like two more nights in the dark with Joe Buck and John Smoltz. See you Tuesday!
