If the Atlanta Braves are to win the 2021 World Series, they’ll have to wait until at least Tuesday.
The Houston Astros claimed a comeback victory in a must-win Game 5 at Truist Park on Sunday, a 9-5 verdict. The Braves, winners of three games, would have taken home the Commissioner’s Trophy with a win, but the Astros now are just one game behind them in the series.
Framber Valdez, who struggled in Game 1, was ripped open by the Braves to start. Atlanta jumped out to a 4-0 lead after one inning, which Houston chipped away it over the next two frames. By the top of the fourth inning, the Braves held a 5-4 lead.
But the Astros fired back with a high-volume inning of their own, going for three runs in the fifth inning — two of which were courtesy of a pinch-hit bloop single by Marwin González. They added runs in the seventh and eighth innings while keeping the Braves scoreless.
MartÃn Maldonado finished with three RBIs, becoming the first catcher to log that many in an elimination game since 1977. José Altuve scored his 21st run of this postseason, tying Carlos Beltrán for the most in a single postseason.
Houston’s bullpen was excellent in relief, with five pitchers combining for just four hits over 6 1/3 innings after Valdez’s early departure in the third. Conversely, A.J. Minter allowed three runs on three hits in one inning of work for Atlanta, while Drew Smyly gave up two runs on five hits in three innings.
The series returns to Minute Maid Park in Houston for Game 6, scheduled for Tuesday at 8:09 p.m. ET.
