On November 3, 2022, in Philadelphia, Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning of Game Five of the 2022 World Series at Citizens Bank Park. Getty Pictures
Justin Verlander survived an early jolt to earn the World Series victory that had eluded him for a long time, rookie Jeremy Pea blasted the game-winning home run, and the Houston Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 on Thursday night to take a 3-2 series lead.
The 2017 championship was marred by a controversy, but Trey Mancini and Chas McCormick’s late defensive heroics propelled the Astros to the brink of a second championship. They can conclude the game on Saturday evening at Minute Maid Park.
Verlander is one of the remaining five Astros who were caught using video to steal signs in 2017. He was 0-6 with an ugly 6.07 ERA in eight Series starts dating back to his rookie year with the Tigers in 2006, a blemish on the career of the 244-game winner who will likely win his third Cy Young Award this season.
The 39-year-old right-handed pitcher gave up one run and four hits over five innings with four walks and six strikeouts, including four in a row between the fourth and fifth innings. He brought the Series ERA down to 5.63.
Matt Snyder of CBSSports.com remarked, “In his seventh career World Series start, spanning 16 years and three different decades, this was his first win. And while the win-loss record isn’t the best metric for measuring a pitcher, he had earned pretty much every bit of his record up until this point. No longer.
“It was hardly the most picturesque outing… However, he battled through five innings and led his team to victory. victory”
Pea’s run-scoring single gave Houston the lead against Noah Syndergaard after only four pitches. However, Kyle Schwarber’s home run to start the bottom half was reminiscent of the five-run lead Verlander squandered in Houston’s opening 6-5, 10-inning loss.
Pea had three hits, including an RBI single in the first inning and a single that paved the way for Yordan Alvarez’s run-scoring groundout in the eighth. He also made a leaping catch at shortstop to thwart the Phillies in the third inning, and then regained the lead with his fourth postseason home run.
In the eighth inning, following Jean Segura’s RBI single with one out off Rafael Montero, Ryan Pressly escaped a first-and-third jam by striking out Brandon Marsh and Kyle Schwarber on a nearly 100 mph one-hopper that Mancini caught over first base.
Members of the Houston Astros celebrate after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth game of the 2022 World Series on November 3, 2022 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Mancini, the backup first baseman, pinch-hit in the top half after 2021 Gold Glove winner Yuli Gurriel injured his right knee in a collision during a rundown. He played defense for the first time since the end of the regular season, falling into foul territory and reaching back with his left foot to touch the bag on Schwarber’s rip.
McCormick assisted Pressly in completing a five-out save by making a diving backhand catch against the chain-link fence in front of the scoreboard in right-center on J.T. Realmuto for the second out of the ninth inning.
McCormick stated, “I believed he had a home run”
Nick Castellanos grounded to shortstop after Bryce Harper was hit by a pitch, concluding a 3-hour and 57-minute drama.
The winner of Game 5 in prior Series tied 2-2 has won 31 of 47 occasions.
The Phillies donned vintage powder blue uniforms in the World Series for the first time since 1983, as a result of the Game 3 postponement, and for the first time since the 1983 World Series.