World Series 2022 Game 1: Philadelphia Phillies 6-5 Houston Astros – as it happened

Final thoughts

Well, so much for there being no surprises this World Series as this writer predicted just (checks watch) yesterday. The Philadelphia Phillies came in knowing they had to win at least one of these first two games away at Minute Maid Park to have the chance at pulling off an upset against the Houston Astros. It was hard to think that it would be this one, given the fact that they fell behind 5-0 early.

However, their bullpen came in and gave them zeroes while the opportunistic Phillies bats did their damage against Justin Verlander, whose inexplicable World Series woes continue. The Astros bullpen managed to do their best to keep the Phillies off the board in regulation, but the 10^th inning gave J.T. Realmuto the chance to hit the home run that made all the difference. Now the pressure is on the Astros to even out this series in Game 2 or find themselves in a deep hole.

We’ll continue to cover the 2022 World Series here at the Guardian, so stay here to see how the Astros respond. This will, however, finish up our Game 1 liveblog. Thank you to all who followed along with us throughout this long and winding road, especially those who contributed along the way. Ciao!

The Philadelphia Phillies have, improbably, come back from being down 5-0 to win Game 1 of the 2022 World Series, handing the Houston Astros their first postseason loss.

Phillies Win! Phillies 6-5 Astros

Phillies 6-5 Astros, bottom 10th inning

Gurriel is up with the tying run on second base and two out. He takes a strike. 0-1. He takes a ball. 1-1. He takes another ball outside. 2-1. The next pitch? That’s ball three. 3-1. And he takes the next pitch. The winning run is at first base now.

Phillies 6-5 Astros, bottom 10th inning

Oh no, here’s Kyle Tucker. This is not great for Robertson, who might end up pitching around their Game 1 nemesis. Tucker takes a ball and then takes a home-run cut on a curve in the corner. Nothing doing. 1-1. He fouls off the next pitch as well. 1-2. The next pitch? Ball two. 2-2. On the next pitch, Robertson gets Tucker on a fishing exhibition. Tucker swings and misses for out two. It’s all up to Yuli Gurriel.

Phillies 6-5 Astros, bottom 10th inning

Alex Bregman is up next. He swings and misses to start his at-bat before taking a ball. 1-1. Bregman than fouls off the next pitch. 1-2. Bregman then hits a ringing double off the park fence and the Astros aren’t dead yet!

Phillies 6-5 Astros, bottom 10th inning

Dave Robertson is on the mound for the Phillies. This cannot be the same Dave Robertson that was with the Yankees right? (Checks.) HOW? In any case, he’s here to face Álvarez who fouls off the first ball he sees. He does the same with the second pitch. 0-2. He fouls off pitch three. The next pitch? Well outside. 1-2. Another swing, another ball hit foul. 1-2. And he chases Robertson’s next pitch, which is in the dirt, for strike three. The Phillies are two away from winning Game 1.

The funniest possible thing to happen now is for the Astros to score *exactly* one run here at the bottom of the 10th.

Phillies 6-5 Astros, top 10th inning

Jean Segura, one of those hitters you can’t help but use their full names, is up again. He fouls the first pitch he sees off and the second. Hitters keep falling behind this series and yet it keeps on not mattering, plenty of tough at-bats with lots and lots of foul balls. Like here, Segura fouls the third pitch he sees just out of play. Still 0-2. Segura then lines out to end the inning, but the damage has been done. The Astros have three more outs to play with before they fall 0-1 in the 2022 World Series.

Phillies 6-5 Astros, top 10th inning

The Astros don’t panic they call Ryne Stanek. His first pitch to Stott is a ball. 1-0. On his next pitch, he fouls one off just out of reach. 1-1. Stott falls another one off, 1-2. The next pitch? Just outside. 2-2. Stott fouls another one off. 2-2. That pitch is low. 3-2. The next pitch? Upstairs. That’s a 4-2 count and since that isn’t a thing, Stott takes first base. The Phillies keep the line moving.

Email from Justin Kavanagh:

Just walked the dog here in Philly, and that wonderful old Alex Ferguson description of squeaky bum time has the whole neighborhood sounding like an orchestra wind section warming up before showtime.

Well, it’s about to get even squeakier if the Phillies can’t add a run here. They’ll need three more outs against the heart of the Astros offense.

Phillies 6-5 Astros, top 10th inning

Alec Bohm is out with a runner on first and now one out. He takes a strike. 0-1. The next pitch is outside. 1-1. Bohm hits a bouncer that results in a groundout. Castellanos is at second but the Phillies now just have one out remaining to get him home for an insurance run. Dusty Baker makes a pitching change.

Phillies 6-5 Astros, top 10th inning

Castellanos, who saved the game with his ninth-inning catch is up now with one on and nobody out. The Phillies would love to tack on here and avoid having to hold on to a one-run lead against a formidable offense. Castellanos swings and can’t catch anything. On his next swing he hits into a fielder’s choice that erased Harper at second.

Phillies 6-5 Astros, top 10th inning

The air got sucked out of Minute Maid Park with that home run. Garcia faces Harper next and he gets ahead of him 0-2. Harper fouls off the next one. Still 0-2. The next pitch, outside. 1-2. He takes the next pitch and hits it for a single.

Home run! (Phillies) Phillies 6-5 Astros

We’re heading into extra innings. Phillies 5-5 Astros

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 9th inning

The outfielders just weren’t positioned quite right and that leaves the inning alive for Peña. On Dominquez’s next pitch, a ball, Altuve breaks out and makes it to second base. The ball from the catcher’s throw, however, just made contact with Altuve before he slid into second. so it’s under review.

And the call stands: safe!

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 9th inning

Altuve takes a strike. 0-1. He takes a ball. 1-1. Already this feels like a better at-bat than most that Altuve has had. He swings and misses at the next offering. 1-2. Altuve fouls a pitch off. Still hanging on, still 1-2. On the next pitch, he flies up… but the ball drops! It drops and he’s safe at first!

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 9th inning

Christian Vazquez, formerly of the Boston Red Sox, is here in place of Maldonado. I told you that pinch-hitting was in our near-future and here we go. He falls behind 1-2 rather quickly, however, before taking ball two. 2-2. Vazquez does have some pop in his bat, or at least he did in Boston. The next pitch is outside. 3-2. Just a walk would keep the line moving for Houston.

Instead, Vazquez gets called out on strike three. The home plate umpire looks for help from the first base coach, who rings him up. That’s two down. Altuve is up representing Houston’s last chance to avoid extras.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 9th inning

Dominquez is starting the bottom of the ninth facing McCormick. He swings and fouls the first pitch off. 0-1. McCormick swings again, and again it’s 0-2. He takes a ball. 1-2. The next pitch. That’s too high. 2-2. On the next pitch, McCormick swings and misses. That’s one down.

Well, this has been a lot more exciting game than it seemed after the Astros went up 5-0 early. Can they walk it or are we heading into extra innings?

If the latter turns out to be the case, know that there is no “phantom runner” in extra innings during the postseason. They are playing under actual baseball rules instead.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 9th inning

Two out in the ninth. Hoskins takes a ball and takes a home run cut at the next pitch but it’s just foul. Pressly might have gotten away with one there. 1-1. He takes another swing and pops it up. We’re headed to the bottom of the ninth all-tied up!

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 9th inning

Schwarber, the Taco Deliverer, is up next. Pressly throws a breaking pitch that’s too low. 1-0. The next pitch is a strike that Schwarber couldn’t possibly have done anything had he swung. 1-1. The next pitch is just low and it’s called for a ball. The Minute Main Park audience disagrees. 2-1. The next pitch is called more in their favor. 2-2. Schwarber fouls the next one away. Still 2-2. Feels like a chess match at this point of the game. The next pitch is a ball away. 3-2. The next pitch? Catches the corner! Strike three! Wow.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 9th inning

Ryan Pressly is up pitching for the Astros. It’s not technically a save situation but if you’re saving your best bullpen arms for save situations in the World Series you deserve to lose just on principle. Pressly is here to face Marsh, who swings and misses at his first pitch. 0-1. The second pitch, a strike looking. 0-2. These relievers are just utterly ridiculous. On 0-2, Pressly’s pitch Is in the dirt. 1-2. The next pitch is around Marsh’s ankles. 2-2. The next pitch, he grounds out to Altuve.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 8th inning

Dominquez is facing Mancini, who is up with two outs and one on. He gets ahead of Mancini 0-2 and then his third straight pitch, a 90 mph slider, gets him to strike out and end the inning. The Baseball Gods have spoken. We’re heading into the ninth inning and potentially beyond.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 8th inning

Seranthony Dominquez is up in a tie game with runner at first, he’ll be facing Gurriel. Gurriel fouls off a 100 mph pitch. Yikes, that’s a Mario Brothers style fireball. At the next pitch, he grounds out into a fielder’s choice. Philadelphia manages to get the runner at second. Philly will take that.

Rob Thomson comes in to take out Suarez and keep him fresh for a potential start later in the series.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 8th inning

Can Tucker make this the Kyle Tucker Game? He tries in his first swing, but he just hits it foul. 0-1. The FOX graphic just called him “King Tuck” and I am absolutely not going to call him that because that would be a career-altering typo on my part. Tucker fouls off the next pitch. That’s an 0-2 count. The next pitch? That’s too low. 1-2.

And you cannot stop Tucker, he hits a single on the 1-2 count.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 8th inning

What do I root for in games like this? A part of me roots for a quick resolution and the other part roots for the most dramatic possible game. Here we come to a key half-inning: all the Astros need to do is score a run here and hope their bullpen can give them a few more outs. That would get me out of here quicker but, honestly, this feels like a game that deserves to go into extra innings. I leave it up to the Baseball Gods.

Suarez is out to face Bregman. He bounces back one to the pitcher who throws to first for a quick, easy out.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 8th inning

Segura immediately skies one up and we’re heading into the bottom of the eighth.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 8th inning

Stott is up next. He gets in the same 0-2 hole as Bohm falls into, maybe some pinch-hitting should have already happened here? Then again, there are still potential extras. Stott takes a ball, the first of the inning. Stott hits a long fly and becomes the second out of the inning.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 8th inning

Rafael Montero is pitching for Houston, Bohm is leading off. There’s been no pinch-hitting so far, we’re around that time in the game where we’re likely to start seeing some. He takes on Bohm in three pitches. That’s efficient.

Good news for Philadelphia:

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 7th inning

Álvarez takes ball one. 1-0. Suarez’s next pitch is in for a strike. 1-1. The next pitch is away. 2-1. He sees a lot of pitches away. Not the next one though, as that’s a called strike. 2-2. The next pitch is very close but just outside. 3-2. Suarez strikes him out to end the inning! We’re still tied after seven. Should I just get caffeine now?

Here comes the Big Test yet again: Álvarez is up and that means a pitching change. My notes have it as Ranger Suarez, normally a starter but the Phillies think they can get him a little work in here before his potential start later in the series.

It’s the World Series, you do whatever it takes.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 7th inning

Peña is up now and he grounds out to first. Well this is going swiftly so far. Two down.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 7th inning

Eflin faces Altuve, who has been quiet this game and remains quiet as he promptly grounds out.

Seventh inning stretch

I post this clip at least once per World Series. If we end up being tied in the 14th inning, I reserve the right to reuse it.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 7th inning

Héctor Neris will be pitching to Nick Castellanos. Just a side note: this is an extremely bad time for any broadcasters to make any serious announcements. Just trust me.

Castellanos takes a ball and then takes a wild, wild, wild swing at a pitch perhaps a bit outside. 1-1. The bases are loaded, did I mention that? That feels like a pertinent detail. On 1-1, Castellanos fouls one away. 1-2. He just barely stays away from the next ball. Somehow. 2-2. He doesn’t the next time around as he strikes out with the bases loaded. There will be no memes after that inning.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 7th inning

Two on, two out, Harper on the plate. Man does this feels like a key at-bat, doesn’t it? Abreu throws a fastball that’s out of the zone. 1-0. The next pitch? In the dirt. 2-0. Lots of 2-0 counts in the last few innings. The next pitch is too high. Ball three. 3-0. A walk wouldn’t be the worst possible outcome here, to be honest.

Instead, Abreu just throws a strike that Harper takes. 3-1. The next pitch is also too high and that’s the second-straight walk from Abreu. Here comes head coach Dusty Baker to make a pitching change.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 7th inning

The Realmuto Of Philadelphia is up with one on and two out. He swings and misses at a pitch just outside. 0-1. The next pitch, that’s in the dirt. 1-1. The next pitch, Abreu doesn’t get a call on a ball just on the lower corner. 2-1. On the next pitch, Abreu throws a ball and Schwarber dashes to second for a successful stolen base that wins America a free taco.

Who says it’s all bad news here in the States?

It’s a 3-1 count on Realmuto, who takes ball four and sets the table for Bryce Harper, who is hitting next.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 7th inning

With Schwarber on first, Abreu faces Hoskins who takes a ball, a strike and a ball. In the meantime, they’re rightfully ruling that Schwarber made it to first on a clean infield single. The next pitch? That’s right in there for a strike. 2-2. On the next pitch, Hoskins extends himself and strikes out swinging.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 7th inning

Schwarber is up next. He takes a slider for a strike and then a ball that bounces in front of him. 1-1. He takes another strike looking. 1-2. The next pitch is also in the dirt but doesn’t quite do the bouncing thing. 2-2. He hits the next one right over Abreu’s hand for a chopper that goes as an infield hit in my opinion. The scorer might rule it an error.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 7th inning

Abreu is still out there for Houston, pitching to Brandon Marsh (who sounds like he shares a name with a South Park character, but I believe is a real-life human being despite a somewhat cartoonish beard). He hits a towering flyball that’s just an easy out.

Email from David Bertram:

My old boss is a big Philly fan. He’d get a kick out of a shout out to ric if possible. He’s watching in Philly hoping for the best and ignoring my texts. Dave

I imagine that he’s watching, Philly sports fans are very dedicated.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 6th inning

Maldonado is up next. He takes a ball. And a ball. Another 2-0 start with another Houston hitter. Eflin feels like he’s not quite finding his spots and the Astros aren’t going to give him any help.

Or maybe not. Maldonado grounds out to third and forces the Houston infield to make a nifty play for the out. The Phillies keep the Astros off the board in the sixth. We’re still tied.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 6th inning

Chas McCormick is here to try to make something happen. At this point, the possibility of extra innings is starting to loom large. Houston has2 already played that 18-inning game, so I have to like their odds if that happens. McCormick takes two straight balls to get ahead 2-0 and then fouls one off. He holds off on the next pitch, also a ball. 3-1. He fouls another off. 3-2. Full count. McCormick takes ball four and that means two are now on for Houston.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 6th inning

Mancini’s at-bat with Gurriel at first and one out in the inning. Mancini takes a ball that Realmuto can’t quite frame. 1-0. The next pitch is also away. 2-0. Eflin finally gets his sinker in the zone with the next pitch. 2-1. He connects on the next pitch but just skies one straight up that’s caught in foul ground. That’s two out in the inning.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 6th inning

Speaking of “out,” so’s Alvarado. In is Zach Eflin, facing Yuli Gurriel. Gurriel takes a ball outside. 1-0. The next pitch is right down the middle for strike two. 1-1. He then hits a chopper, but Gurriel’s throw takes the first baseman just off the base. Still, a good attempt but the result is an Astro baserunner.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 6th inning

Here comes Alvarado’s toughest challenge: getting Kyle Tucker out. He’s accounted for four of Houston’s five runs. This time around he just hits the first ball he sees into the outfield for an out.

Oh wait, that’s why they call it the “out field.” My mind is blown.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 6th inning

Jean Segura is up yet again. It feels like he’s always up. He swings at Abreu’s first two offerings and falls into a 0-2 hole quickly. And make that 0-3. Wow, that’s a 1-2-3 top of the sixth with the Astros getting a chance to untie this in the bottom here.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 6th inning

Abreu’s first pitch to Stott, also a ball. The next two pitches are called strikes, so he’s down 1-2 quickly. They weren’t lying about this Houston pen, apparently. The next pitch? That’s called strike three.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, top 6th inning

Bryan Abreu is pitching for Houston which means that Verlander will, officially, not get his first World Series win tonight. Don’t worry, pitching wins are meaningless junk. If the Astros pull of a win here, he’ll be more than happy. Abreu is facing Bohm, who takes a ball. 1-0. He then flies out on the next pitch. That was quick.

Phillies 5-5 Astros, bottom 5th inning

Alex Bregman takes a strike, then swings away. 0-2. The next pitch is a ball, but Alvarado gets him to swing and miss. That was efficient and the Phillies keep it tied. Now they need to score runs and hope that their thin bullpen keeps the Astros off the board.

Nobody ever said winning a World Series game was supposed to be easy.