Trade Deadline Braves Lead Atlanta to 6-2 Game 1 Win
Oct 26, 2021; Houston, TX, USA; Atlanta Braves designated hitter Jorge Soler hits an infield single against the Houston Astros during the eighth inning in game one of the 2021 World Series at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Game 1 of the 2021 World Series started with a bang, only this time it wasn’t for the Astros.
Leading off against Framber Valdez, Atlanta trade-deadline acquisition Jorge Soler became the first player in the 117-year history of the World Series to hit a series-opening home run. The Braves took a 1-0 lead and never looked back.
In Houston, the Atlanta Braves continued their run of playoff excellence defeating the American League champs 6-2. The Braves are trying to win their first World Series in 26 years and now they’re 25% of the way there.
Soler’s solo shot to open the ballgame wasn’t the only run the Braves scored off Valdez. Ozzie Albies singled with one out and stole second base, Austin Riley doubled on a 3-0 pitch to drive in the runner and extend Atlanta’s lead.
Valdez, coming off his best postseason performance, wouldn’t last three innings. A major surprise after throwing eight innings allowing just one run in Boston to help the Astros advance to the series. Neither starting pitcher would finish three innings, but for totally different reasons.
Charlie Morton started for Atlanta. The 37-year-old-right-hander went 2.1 innings, allowing one hit, walking two, and striking out three. The Astros loaded the bases against Morton in the first inning but Kyle Tucker could not come through to erase the two-run deficit.
Even though Morton’s start ended prematurely, he was willing to leave everything out there. To start the second inning, Houston’s first baseman Yuli Gurriel lined a ball off of Morton’s leg. He collected and got the out at first. Unknown at the time, his leg was broken.
Morton -with a broken fibula – struck out Chas McCormick, got Martin Maldonado to line out, and returned for the third inning to strike out Jose Altuve before the swelling and pain was too much. He’s been ruled out for the remainder of the World Series.
Still, the Astros watched as the Braves lead ballooned to 5-0. Travis d’Arnoud and Joc Pederson singled to start the second. d’Arnaud advanced to third on a flyout by Swanson, then scored on a fielders choice by Soler. Another run scored because of trade deadline acquisitions.
Eddie Rosario and Adam Duvall began the third asking people to remember they were traded to the Braves as well this summer. The NLCS MVP Rosario singled and Duvall homered. Valdez was pulled. He finished with a line of two innings, eight hits, five earned runs, one walk, two strikeouts, and two home runs. Yimi Garcia replaced him.
But Houston scraped together a run off of A.J. Minter in his second inning of relief. Tucker doubled, Gurriel singled, and Chas McCormick reached on a fielder’s choice and error by shortstop Dansby Swanson.
Garcia finished the third inning allowing zero additional hits and struck out two. Jake Odorizzi threw 2.1 innings, striking out five. Phil Maton escaped without an earned run and some help from Ryne Stanek getting the final two outs of the seventh.
Stanek allowed a run in the eighth, a sacrifice fly by Freddie Freeman drove in Swanson.
Meanwhile, the Braves bullpen continued its reign of terror on opposing hitters. Luke Jackson went 1.2 innings with three strikeouts and Tyler Matzek got the final out of the seventh striking out Alex Bregman looking.
Through seven innings the top five of the Astros lineup – Altuve, Brantley, Bregman, Yordan Alvarez, and Carlos Correa – were 3-for-16 with seven strikeouts and two walks. Brantley had all three hits.
Matzek remained for the eighth. The rubber-armed lefty was making his 10th appearance in 11 postseason games. Unlike his last three, he wouldn’t escape unscathed. Alvarez hit a leadoff triple and scored off a Correa groundout, the lead was back to four. With two outs, Gurriel hit a ball that would be a home run in 28 other ballparks. Instead, it ended with Gurriel sliding into second on his face and back to the dugout after a tag by Albies.
Will Smith needed three outs for his fifth save of the postseason. He walked his first batter, got two forceouts, and needed to retire Brantley to secure the win. Brantley smoked a ball to Albies at second, he gathered and threw to Freeman to finish the four-hour game.
Game 2 is tomorrow night in Houston at 8:09 p.m.
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