Backs against the wall: Phillies trail Astros 3-2 with World Series heading back to Houston

Final Score: Astros 3, Phillies 2

It’s been a magical run for the Philadelphia Phillies this October — and now, November — but for the first time this postseason, key pieces have looked as though they may be running out of gas over the last two evenings.

A night after getting no-hit, the Phillies managed just six hits, only one of which came after the sixth inning. In total, the Phillies left 11 runners on base and went just 1-7 with runners in scoring position in Game 5.

Following a Game 3 victory, the Phillies seemed to be in the driver’s seat in the Fall Classic, possessing a 2-1 World Series lead with a pair of games left at home in front of a deafening crowd at Citizens Bank Park.

But after losing those two games, the Phillies will head back to Houston needing to win both Games 6 and 7 to avoid the Astros capturing their second World Series title.

Rob Thomson’s squad has overcome tremendous odds to even be in this situation, but bringing home the World Series trophy from Minute Maid Park — where they’ll head down 3-2 — will be their tallest task yet.

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Jose Altuve led the game off with a triple against Noah Syndergaard, and was quickly plated by star rookie Jeremy Peña, who singled back up the middle with the infield playing in:

But a night after saying that he “didn’t give a shit” about the history that the Astros made by no-hitting the Phillies in the World Series, Kyle Schwarber got the Phillies into the hits column and on the board with his second swing off of Justin Verlander:

Verlander walked Schwarber to load the bases in the bottom of the second inning, but the future Hall of Famer ultimately struck out Rhys Hoskins to escape the jam.

Syndergaard returned for the top of the fourth inning after holding the Astros hitless in the two prior frames. It’s entirely possible that he was only going to face one batter regardless, with Yordan Alvarez lurking in the on-deck circle.

But a 350-foot home run by Peña assured that Syndergaard didn’t face Alvarez, and gave the Astros a 2-1 lead:

Back for his second inning of work in the top of the eighth inning, Seranthony Domínguez walked Altuve to begin the inning, before Jeremy Peña singled back up the middle to advance him to third base. Alvarez would ultimately bring Altuve home on an RBI groundout against David Robertson, giving the Astros an insurance run.

Rafael Montero came on to pitch for the Astros in the bottom of the eighth inning, and walked both Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott. With two on and one out, Dusty Baker elected to leave Montero in to face Jean Segura, rather than turning to closer Ryan Pressly for a five-out save.

Segura knocked Montero out with an RBI single.

Pressly then came on, escaping the frame without further damage by striking out Marsh and inducing a hard groundout that Trey Mancini — who pinch hit for Yuli Gurriel in the top of the inning — smothered, before stepping on the bag for the third out:

Aided by a tremendous catch by West Chester native Chas McCormick to rob J.T. Realmuto of extra bases, Pressly kept the Phillies off the board in the ninth, preserving a win for the Astros:

The series will now shift back to Houston, with an off day scheduled for Friday, before Zack Wheeler will square off with Framber Valdez in Game 6 Saturday night.

Game 7, if necessary, would be played Sunday evening at Minute Maid Park. The Phillies have never played in a postseason Game 7, a crazy stat for a franchise that began play in 1883. That will need to change in 2022 if the Phillies are going to the World Series.

Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance

• Justin Verlander was on the ropes in the bottom of the second inning, but escaped the jam and ultimately pitched five innings. While he walked four and gave up four hits, Verlander allowed just one run. He’s likely to opt out of his contract and become a free-agent this offseason, following a season that will likely net him his third American League Cy Young Award.
• Noah Syndergaard — in what was possibly his final appearance as a Phillie — allowed three hits and two earned runs over three plus innings, while striking out four. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for someone that once possessed one of the best arsenals in the game. He’s only 30, but he had Tommy John surgery in March of 2020. If his velocity hasn’t returned by now, it’s fair to wonder if it ever will.

Phillies Nuggets Of The Game

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Game 6 on Saturday, Nov. 5 at Minute Maid Park
• 8:03 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX
• Local Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
• National Radio: ESPN Radio
• Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680

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