Braves’ Stingy Pitching, Defense Left Astros Cold In Brisk Atlanta World Series Win

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves were able to hold the Houston Astros to one hit and no runs for a 2-0 win to regain the lead in World Series Game 3.

A brisk night with temperatures hovering just above 50 degrees made for a slow start with stingy pitching from Astros starter Luis Garcia and Atlanta right-handed starter Ian Anderson.

However, with runners at first and second in the bottom of the third inning, Austin Riley hit a Garcia breaking ball for a sprinting groundball double down the third-base line to the corner of left field, scoring Eddie Rosario and sending Freddie Freeman to third.

Astros’ defense kept the Atlanta bats silent through the eighth inning until Travis D’Arnaud hit a 437-foot solo home run to center field with two outs.

After Garcia walks Jorge Soler to load the bases, however, he was able to strike out Travis D
Arnaud to end the inning.

Anderson logs the win, going five innings without a hit on 76 pitches before Atlanta manager Brian Snitker went to the bullpen to enlist the services of reliever A.J. Minter.

In the top of the sixth, Minter hits Bregman at the bottom front of his left ankle, sending him to first base with two outs. But up in the count 1-2, Minter is able to strike Alvarez out swinging.

And in the top of the eighth inning, a pop fly from Bregman should have been a routine catch for Rasario who was deep in left field. But as he ran inward to field the ball and simultaneously keep up with Dansby Swanson tracking the ball from shortstop, Rosario lost sight of the flyball just long enough to see it drop right in front of him, ending the Braves’ no-hitter.

Game 4 begins Saturday at 8:09 p.m. EST from Truist Park in Atlanta and will be broadcast nationally on TV by Fox and carried by ESPN Radio with streaming on YouTube TV and Hulu Live.

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