J.T. Realmuto’s timely swing lifted the Philadelphia Phillies to an improbable victory in the opening game of the World Series. This opportunity was afforded to him by Nick Castellanos’s tremendous hit in right field.
Realmuto launched a solo home run in the 10th inning, and the Phillies defeated the Houston Astros 6-5 on Friday night thanks to Castellanos’ diving catch.
The Phillies were the first team in 20 years to overcome a five-run deficit and win a World Series game after falling behind 5-0 early against Astros ace Justin Verlander.
They can thank Castellanos for the opportunity. He sprinted in to make a game-saving catch on Jeremy Pea’s blooper in the ninth inning with two outs, a runner on second, and two outs remaining.
“Overall, it was a terrific game, a great come-from-behind victory, and it just showed the club’s toughness and how tough they are and how they never give up,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson.
Realmuto, who delivered a two-run double off Verlander in the fifth inning to tie the game, completed the comeback in the tenth inning by blasting a fastball from Luis Garca into the stands.
Realmuto hoped for the best as he observed Kyle Tucker pursuing the ball in right field.
“When I saw him running back to the wall, I thought to myself, ‘Oh, please don’t catch it! Please don’t catch it!’”
He did not, the ball evading his grasp by a narrow margin.
Realmuto rounded the bases, fulfilling a childhood fantasy.
“Absolutely, sir. Yeah. Absolutely. I refer to Wiffle Ball games in the backyard, with bases loaded and two outs. Growing up, I definitely had 7,000 opportunities in such position “he stated.
Did he typically deliver?
“Every time, sure,” Realmuto responded with a chuckle.
Realmuto became the first catcher to hit an extra-inning home run in the World Series since Carlton Fisk in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series against Cincinnati at Fenway Park.
Big-hitting Bryce Harper adds two singles to his World Series debut for the Phillies. In the postseason, the two-time NL MVP is batting.426 (20-for-47) with five home runs. Tucker hit two home runs for the 7-0 Astros in this series. Tucker reportedly became the first World Series player to hit multiple home runs since Brandon Lowe of the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 2 of the 2020 Fall Classic.
“Definitely disappointing,” Verlander said. “I must perform better. No excuses.”
Verlander joined Roger Clemens as the only pitchers to make a World Series debut in the last three decades. He also tied another former Red Sox ace, Jon Lester, in a separate category by starting his 12th career Game 1.
Alex Bregman’s double with one out gave Houston hope in the 10th inning. After Yuli Gurriel walked with two outs, David Robertson’s wild pitch moved the runners to second and third.
David Robertson then hit pinch-hitter Aledmys Daz with a 2-0 pitch, but plate umpire James Hoye decided that Daz leaned into the pitch and did not allow him to advance to first to load the bases.
The game ended after Daz grounded out on a 3-1 pitch.
The last club to blow a 5-0 lead in the World Series was the 2002 San Francisco Giants, who failed to close out the Angels in Game 6 and win the championship under manager Dusty Baker.
This time as manager of the Astros, Baker witnessed the same 6-5 final score.
The 106-win Astros hadn’t lost to anyone since Philadelphia defeated them on October 3 behind Aaron Nola to clinch a wild-card spot and earn their first playoff berth in 11 years.
Tucker’s two home runs contributed significantly to the Astros’ quick start. However, the Phillies roared back as Verlander faltered once again in the World Series.
Perfect as he took a 5-0 lead into the fourth inning, he left the game with the score tied at 5 after the fifth. In eight career World Series starts, he finished 0-6 with a 6.07 ERA — hardly the stats of a pitcher who is expected to win his third Cy Young Award soon.
The Astros dropped their first game of the postseason after sweeping the AL Division Series and AL Championship Series. They are now 0-5 in World Series openers.
Castellanos’s outstanding play gave the victory to Seranthony Domnguez, who had pitched a scoreless ninth inning, after Castellanos’s brilliant play.
With two outs and Jose Altuve on second base after a single and a stolen base, Pea hit a 68 mph ball that traveled approximately 200 feet. Castellanos ran a great distance and then made a diving catch while lunging to end the inning.
Just prior to the pitch, Castellanos pushed in closer.
“That was just what my instincts directed me to do. I only believed he had a greater possibility of attempting to smuggle something in there as opposed to torching something over my head “he added.
In the NL Division Series opener against Atlanta, Castellanos drove in three runs and helped maintain the lead with a similar play in the ninth inning of a 7-6 victory.
“I’ve heard from a few folks that it appeared to be identical,” he stated. “However, I’m just glad that an out was made and that we were able to win both of those games.”
In the World Series for the fourth time in six years – and after losing to Atlanta in six games last year – the Astros are seeking to deliver Baker his first title as a manager and win their second crown after winning it in 2017 amid a sign-stealing scandal.
For the first time since 2009, the surprise Phillies, who have won two championships, are in the World Series. They recovered from a 21-29 start that resulted to the dismissal of manager Joe Girardi.
Tucker was the first player in team history to hit multiple home runs in a World Series game, causing the orange-clad home fans to erupt early. One of the few players in the major leagues to hit without batting gloves and suddenly oozing attitude, he had four RBIs a year after concluding the World Series without a single run batted in.
Tucker’s first home run was accompanied by a bat flip and an expletive as he screamed toward the dugout while beginning his jog.
Nola took a perfect game into the seventh inning in his last trip to Minute Maid Park, more than three weeks ago, when Philadelphia clinched its first playoff berth since 2011 and clinched the division title. Friday’s homecoming was not quite as easy as expected.
With no outs in the bottom of the second, Tucker sent a Nola off-speed fastball into the right field seats to give Houston a 1-0 lead. Gurriel, Chas McCormick, and Martn Maldonado all added singles to produce an additional run.
Pea, the ALCS Most Valuable Player, doubled to start the third inning for Houston before Yordan Alvarez grounded out. Initially, he was deemed safe, but after the Phillies protested the ruling, it was reversed.
Bregman, who was Nola’s roommate at LSU, walked prior to Tucker extending the lead to 5-0 by hitting a ball into the stands behind the bullpen in right-center.
In five innings, Verlander, who had the best ERA in the MLB during the regular season (1.75), allowed six hits and five runs. He joined Roger Clemens as the only pitchers in the history of major league baseball to make a World Series start in three distinct decades, but he was unable to capture that elusive World Series victory. Friday was his 12th career postseason series opener, tying him for the most in MLB history with Jon Lester.
Verlander, who started his third World Series opening, retired the first ten batters before Rhys Hoskins’s fourth-inning single with one out. Harper and Castellanos each singled to score a run, and Alec Bohm’s two-run double brought the deficit to 5-3.
Brandon Marsh began the fifth inning with a double, followed by a walk from Kyle Schwarber. Realmuto’s double off the wall in left-center tied the game at five runs apiece.