(Reuters) – The Houston Astros made another fast start against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies but this time around managed to close the deal for a 5-2 victory on Saturday that squared the World Series at one game apiece.
Houston, who blew a commanding 5-0 lead in Friday’s opening game of the best-of-seven Major League Baseball championship for their first loss of the postseason, now head to Philadelphia for the next three games starting on Monday.
The Astros began the game with three consecutive doubles for a 2-0 lead and were gifted another run before the first inning was over, after a throwing error by Phillies shortstop Edmundo Sosa on a routine ground ball with two outs.
It marked the first time in history a team started a World Series game with three consecutive extra-base hits.
Houston then opened up a 5-0 lead when third baseman Alex Bregman blasted a two-run homer to left center field in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez delivered a gem as the All-Star left-hander surrendered just one run on four hits while tying his postseason career high with nine strikeouts across 6-1/3 innings.
The Phillies scored on a sacrifice fly that brought in Nick Castellanos in the top of the seventh inning and added another with two outs in the ninth, when a fielding error by first baseman Yuli Gurriel allowed Alec Bohm to score.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Edmund Klamann)
