HOUSTON , -- The latest on Game 2 in the World Series between Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves (all times local).
10:20 p.m.
Jose Siri, a rookie, ignited a team whose greatest stars took some time to shine. The Houston Astros beat the Atlanta Braves 7-2 to make it to the World Series.
Houston was able to take advantage of the career minor leaguer's speedy and aggressive play and score a four-run second innings.
Jose Altuve doubled and homered to beat the suddenly slow Braves. Jose Urquidy pitched five solid innings for the Astros and Houston's bullpen did the rest. Atlanta will host the first game of the three-game series, which begins Friday night.
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10:15 p.m.
Atlanta is down 7-2 heading into the final at-bat. Houston's reliver Kendall Graveman wins Game 2, which would even out the World Series.
The Astros' Ryan Pressly had a scoreless eighth. However, it was not without close calls. Jorge Soler's flyball was hit on the warning track in left, just in front of Crawford Boxes. Michael Brantley made the catch in the corner.
Ron Kulpa, the Braves' plate umpire, was criticized for not recognizing his strike zone. Austin Riley looked down at a slider that he thought was too high. However, he tried to hide his disgust.
Joc Pederson was not as subtle after looking at a low fastball to end an inning, pulling off his helmet, and shouting at Kulpa.
Kyle Wright pitched the side in the bottom inning. Jose Siri was able to swing before Martin Maldonado, Jose Altuve and Jose Altuve went down looking. Wright made his first appearance in the big league since June 23, and only his third for the season.
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9:50 p.m.
Jose Altuve scored in the seventh inning. The Houston Astros led Atlanta 7-2 into the eighth. This was six outs away from edging the World Series to one.
For his 22nd career postseason homerun, the 5-foot-6 second baseman steered Drew Smyly's first pitch into the left-field foul pole. This tied Bernie Williams (29), for second place in baseball history.
Altuve also scored a leadoff double in Game 1 and was 0 for 5. Altuve went 0 for 5, with three strikeouts, in Game 1. He started the night at.178 in postseason.
Phil Maton retired Eddie Rosario, Freddie Freeman and put a runner on the seventh to keep the score at 6-2. Maton was acquired from Cleveland on the July 30th trade deadline and relieved Cristian Javier when Dansby Swanson left.
Javier relieved Jose Urquidy by striking out two in 1 1/3 innings.
Smyly, a candidate for Game 4, batted Yuli Gurriel.
Altuve's four home runs in this postseason are his fourth, and 16 of his career-long balls over 75 games have been at home.
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9:25 p.m.
After six innings, the Houston Astros chased Max Fried, a lefty starter for the Astros. They extended their lead to 6-2 in an attempt to tie the World Series.
Fried had retired 10 batters consecutively before walking Yordan Avarez to begin the bottom of the sixth and then allowing Carlos Correa to score a single. Dylan Lee, a fellow left-hander, took the mound and many things happened while he faced his minimum of three batters.
Kyle Tucker touched on a fielder’s choice grounder, before Yuli Gurriel hit an potential double-play grounder towards shortstop Dansby Swanson. He made a great throw to Ozzie Albies. The All-Star second baseman dropped it and the runner was deemed safe. This ruling was upheld after a replay challenge from Brian Snitker, Braves manager. After the Astros had a double steal, Jose Siri struck out and Jess Chavez was called safe to take over for Martin Maldonado.
Fried was able to retire 10 consecutive times after giving up a fourth-inning run.
Cristian Javier, Houston Astros' reliever, threw another scoreless innings. Jorge Soler struck out in the top of sixth. Joc Pederson flew out to center, just before Adam Duvall's foul ballout.
Javier, who had thrown 7 1/3 scoreless innings in his three first appearances this postseason, was given the opportunity to take over from Jose Urquidy, who struck out seven batters and allowed two runs in five innings.
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8:45 p.m.
Atlanta Braves' Freddie Freeman hit a run in the fifth inning to cut Houston's lead to 5-2. Houston attempted to even the World Series at one.
Cristian Javier relieved Jose Urquidy to begin the sixth. Urquidy walked none and struck out seven, allowing only two runs and six hits. He threw 55 out of 74 pitches for strikes.
Travis d'Arnaud had scored a homer for the Braves during the first inning.
Max Fried of Atlanta retired 10 consecutive times, beginning with Houston's final out. Fried allowed five runs, four earned, and six hits. He also struck out six and walked none.
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8:30 p.m.
Jose Urquidy dominates the Braves, except for Travis d'Arnaud's single homer in the second inning. Houston's starter struck two out in a perfect fourth inning and has six punchouts on 58 pitches.
This is a remarkable turnaround for Urquidy who had given up six runs in just 1 1/3 innings against Boston in Game 3 in the AL Championship Series. Right-hander Urquidy, 26, is focusing on his fastball despite the pitch's peak at 94.8 mph.
Braves left-hander Max Fried pitched a clean inning to maintain Houston's lead of 5-1. Before striking out Jose Siri, he got Yuli Gurriel, who is red hot, to fly out to the left.
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8:25 p.m.
Jose Urquidy is credited with four outs in his three innings, and the Houston Astros are leading the Atlanta Braves 5-1 heading into the fourth.
Urquidy took down Travis d'Arnaud's second home run and set the table for the third against the 2-3-4 hitters of Atlanta's lineup. Before Austin Riley flied out, he retired Freddie Freeman (on grounders) and Ozzie Albies (on home runs).
Max Fried also played a 1-2-3/3 third for the Braves. They are seeking to move up to the 2-0 Series after winning the opener in Houston 6-2.
Urquidy has had a remarkable outing, having only thrown 1 2/3 innings in the previous 24 days before this game.
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8:05 p.m.
Houston scored consecutive singles with the top four batters of their lineup. All four went on to score, giving the Astros a 5-1 lead after Game 2.
Carlos Correa was the Astros' second starter. Yuli Gurriel and rookie Jose Siri all had singles. Siri drove in the first run, scoring an infield hit. Maldonado scored an RBI with his hit to left. Siri then scored the second run after Eddie Rosario had thrown towards an unoccupied third base.
Max Fried, the Braves' starter, also threw a wild pitch during the inning that preceded Michael Brantley’s sharp RBI single.
After the Braves tied the game at 1-1, Travis d'Arnaud, catcher, hit his first homer this postseason. He threw a full count pitch into the left-field seats with two outs.
After falling behind 0-2 on the count, d'Arnaud took 3 balls in a row and then hit a 93 mph fastball by Jose Urquidy. This seemed to have been above the strike zone.
No. The 9-hitter Dansby Swanson followed up with a sharp single, before Rosario lined out to end it.
Through the first two innings, Urquidy was struck out four times. In Game 3 against Boston, the right-hander allowed six runs and five hits while only pitching 1 2/3 innings.
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7:35 p.m.
Jose Altuve helped the Houston Astros to take the lead in the World Series.
Altuve, fresh from his first three-strikeout win of his distinguished postseason career, lined a leadoff double into left field corner to start the bottom of the first against Atlanta lefty Max Fried.
Altuve came in third on a long fly from Michael Brantley, and was then towed home on a sacrifice fly of Alex Bregman.
After looking shaky at the plate in a loss of 6-2, the Astros won 1-0.
Jose Urquidy struck out three batters in the top of the first. He did this while working around two singles by Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies. Urquidy, a noted strike-thrower, threw two bases to Jorge Soler. He then received a visit from shortstop Carlos Correa and Martin Maldonado on the mound.
Urquidy found his rhythm again to strike out Soler, and escape.
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7:12 p.m.
Minute Maid Park's retractable roof was closed for pregame, but it was reopened less than an hour prior to the first pitch of Game 2 on a gorgeous 75-degree night in Houston. This is the first postseason that it's been opened.
U.S Navy Petty Officer 1st class Giavanni Walker sang the National Anthem.
Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell spent his entire 15 year career with the Astros. He threw out his first pitch one day after Craig Biggio, his former teammate.
Nelson Cruz, who recently completed his 17th season in the major leagues, was presented with Roberto Clemente Awards, which are given each year to a player for their humanitarian efforts. Biggio, who received the award in 2007, presented it to Cruz.
Paul Wall, a Houston rapper, wore a diamond-encrusted grill to wrap up the pregame celebrations.
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4:50 p.m.
Charlie Morton, Braves pitcher, went to Green Bay (Wisconsin) on Wednesday to see Dr. Robert Anderson, an orthopedic foot and ankle specialist.
Morton's right fibula fractured by Yuli Gurriel of Houston in the World Series opener.
Morton, 37 years old, is expected to be sidelined until spring training.
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3:55 p.m.
Eddie Rosario was promoted to the leadoff position for the Atlanta Braves, where he will face Houston right-hander Jose Urquidy in Game 2 (W Series) on Wednesday night. Jorge Soler was moved to the fifth spot after Framber Valdez, a lefty, won the opener.
Rosario was the MVP of the NL Championship Series. He was followed by Ozzie Albies at second base, Austin Riley at third, and Soler as designated hitter.
Joc Pederson, right fielder, was sixth, followed closely by Adam Duvall (center fielder), Travis d'Arnaud (catcher), and Dansby Swanson (shortstop).
Max Fried was the Braves' starter pitcher, winning the game 6-2.
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3 p.m.
For Game 2 of the World Series against Atlanta Braves, the Houston Astros will be using Jose Siri instead of Chas Mccormick in center field.
Siri will make his fourth postseason appearance and this will be his third. McCormick and Jake Meyers split time in center field, so the 26-year-old rookie did not play in the division series. He was able to play in the ALCS, and the World Series, even though Meyers was out with a shoulder injury.
Siri, who made his MLB debut in September 3, will bat eighth.
