5/16/2023 0 Comments Who won world series last yearThe Astros added another run, a noisy but edgy crowd suddenly knew catharsis and rapture and the Phillies’ spirit was smashed.Įven the Phillies’ slugging star Kyle Schwarber, who’d given them the advantage with a home run off the otherwise excellent starting pitcher Framber Valdez, was discombobulated enough to try a two-strike bunt with no one on base. Scuffling Houston outfielder Yordan Álvarez promptly launched his first home run in 42 at-bats off José Alvarado, a three-run, 450ft Tyrannosaurus of a hit. With the visitors leading 1-0 in the sixth inning, Philadelphia’s Rob Thomson removed his ace, Zack Wheeler, who’d only given up three hits and thrown 70 pitches. So there was a certain dramatic neatness, an ironic closing of the circle, in the way Saturday’s clash was decided: a second-guessable decision by the other manager. Last year the Astros reached the World Series and had the stronger-looking roster but were deservedly beaten by the Atlanta Braves, who concluded a 4-2 series triumph with a humbling 7-0 win in Houston. With characteristic empathy, Baker showed sympathy for Bartman, who went into hiding and required police protection. It didn’t help that as Ortiz walked off the mound, Baker handed him the ball as a souvenir - a moment of kindness later spun into a supposed act of disrespect that was fuel to Anaheim’s fire, though as NBC Sports pointed out in 2020, no one seemed to think so at the time.īaker headed to the Chicago Cubs, who disintegrated on the brink of overcoming the Florida Marlins in the 2003 National League Championship Series when a fan named Steve Bartman interfered with a potential catch. Fairly or not – Ortiz had just given up back-to-back singles and thrown 98 pitches – Baker was blamed and his contract was not renewed. He pulled the dominant pitcher Russ Ortiz in the seventh inning with a 5-0 lead and the Giants fumbled and failed, losing 6-5 to the Anaheim Angels, who then won Game Seven to pinch the title. That narrative dates back 20 years, when Baker’s San Francisco Giants were eight outs from their first World Series title since relocating to the Bay Area. Yet he’s been viewed as a tragicomic protagonist: a victim of bad luck and poor choices, a nice guy who doesn’t quite finish first.
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