How Was Game 5 of the Worlds Series Won? With Pitching and Defense
The Astros arms and gloves kept getting out in the biggest plate appearances of Game 5, squelching Phillies rallies. They take a 3-2 lead back to Houston.
What was the biggest plate appearance of Game 5 of the World Series?
Perhaps it was in the second inning against Rhys Hoskins. Justin Verlander had loaded the bases on a single and two walks. But he came up big, getting Hoskins to strike out and ending the Phillies threat.
Perhaps it was in the bottom of the fifth against Nick Castellanos. Verlander had appeared to be defying the third time through the order penalty, having struck out Kyle Schwarber, Hoskins, and JT Realmuto in consecutive plate appearances. But then Bryce Harper hit the hardest ball of the night for a double and Nick Castellano kept fouling pitches off to stay alive. On the 9th pitch of the at bat against a tiring Verlander, Castellanos flew out to left, ending the Phillies threat.
Perhaps it was in the bottom of the sixth against Kyle Schwarber Hector Neris had allowed a single, and Bryan Abreu had relieved him, only to hit Brandon Marsh, bringing Schwarber, who had homered to the plate. But Abreu was able to induce a soft grounder to Jose Altuve, ending the Phillies threat.
Perhaps it was in the bottom of the eighth against Brandon Marsh. The Phillies were in the middle of a rally, as two walks and single against Rafael Montero had cut the lead to one and put runners on the corner with one out. Dusty Baker called upon his best reliever Ryan Pressly to put out the fire. And on three straight sliders, Pressly struck out Marsh. It did not end the Phillies threat, though.
Perhaps it was in the next plate appearance against Kyle Schwarber. Pressly got up 1-2 on Schwarber, but Schwarber was ready for Pressly’s next slider, and hit it hard. But fortunately, he hit it right at Trey Mancini, who corralled the screamer and touched first base to record the final out of the inning, ending the Phillies threat.
Perhaps it was in the bottom of the ninth against JT Realmuto. Realmuto drove a ball opposite way toward right center field. Chas McCormick sprinted over from his center field position, leapt high in the air, bounced off of the chain-link fence in right-center field, and brought down the ball for the second out of the inning.
One can debate which of these plate appearances was most important in the 3-2 Game 5 win at Citizens Bank Park. A big hit from the Phillies in any of these at bats would have produced more runs. Thus each was pivotal in a one-run game.
But all five plate appearances ended in the same way. With an Astros pitcher or fielder making a big play to record an out and keep the Phillies from adding more runs.
A Pitching and Defense Team
Last night’s game was won almost exclusively by the pitching and defense of the Astros. They made the play in each of these key plate appearances, allowing them to pull off a high-wire act to win Game 5.
It should not surprise any Astro observer that the arms and gloves won a World Series game. This has been a pitching and defense first team.
When the Astros clinched the AL West crown, I wrote:
The pitching staff, backstopped by an outstanding defense, improved significantly from the 2021 season. The Astros went old school in 2022, winning the division on pitching and defense.
The pitching and defense were on display again in Game 5, keeping the Phillies at bay again and again despite seemingly constant rallies that threatened the Astros lead.
Overall, the Astros held the Phillies to six hits and two runs. But they allowed 6 walks and hit a batter, which meant that they only had a pair 1-2-3 innings. They struck out 12 Phillies to help their effort.
But mostly, they got outs when they absolutely needed an out. The Phillies went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, scoring only 1 runs as a result.
The Astros bats did just enough. They matched the Phillies by getting a home run and one hit with a runner in scoring position. But they got more chances with runners in scoring position than did the Phillies thanks to bigger power (the Astros hit 3 doubles; the Phillies hit only 1) and better offensive sequencing.
In the top of the eighth with no outs, the Astros ran the run-and-hit play, and Jeremy Pena hit the ball to a vacated second base position. Jose Altuve went from first to third. Yordan Alvarez then hit a grounder to first base. Hoskins came in to try to cut down Altuve at home, but could not field the ball cleanly. Hoskins recovered in time to tag out Alvarez, but Altuve had scampered home with the third Astros run, and the winning margin in the game.
The margin of Game 5 was very close. Trey Mancini was able to make a play at first base when Rhys Hoskins couldn’t. Ryan Pressly was able to get a key strikeout with a runner at 3rd base. Justin Verlander was able to get the final out of an inning twice when the Phillies were threatening. And Chas McCormick was able to leap against the fence to snag a fly ball.
How was Game 5 of the World Series won? With pitching and defense from our Astros.
There is one more candidate for the biggest plate appearance of the game.
Perhaps it was in the bottom of the ninth against Nick Castellanos. Ryan Pressly induced a ground ball to Jeremy Pena for the final out of the game, ending the Phillies rally.
But more importantly, it ended the innings of stress that had built up in me, and I assume, pretty much any Astros fan. For the first time since the first pitch, I could exhale.
Some evidence of the night’s tension continued even after.
And now they take a 3-2 lead back to Minute Maid Park.