2022 World Series Game 1 Phillies vs Astros summary: score, stats and updates

Houston appeared to have it all under control. Justin Verlander was in full control, even as his counterpart for Philadelphia was surrendering big hits, including two home runs to Kyle Tucker. Then, with a comfortable 5-0 lead, something amazing happened. In fact, two thing happened simultaneously. The Astros started to swing at everything, and the Phillies did the opposite.

From the fourth inning, Verlander was forced to throw many more pitches per hitter and this led to full counts surrendering strikes for hits rather than having the Phillies swing at balls. Never giving up, never letting the situation get on top of them, the Phillies climbed off the mat and grabbed all of those five runs back to tie the game.

As it settled into a rhythm, the latter half of the game saw the Phillies grind their way through the Astros bullpen, even as the Astros hitters got increasing frantic over their inability to put bat to ball.

In the tenth inning, the Phillies got their only home run of the game, not by Kyle Schwarber or Bryce Harper, but a solo shot by JT Realmuto to take the lead for the first time of the day. The Astros had no answer today. The Phillies win, 6-5

Game 2 will be played at Minute Maid park tomorrow at the same time, first pitch at 8:03 p.m. ET. We will be here with all of the action again, but for now, this will end our live coverage of the World Series. Join us tomorrow.

Castellanos' glove saves the day

Before the home run, there was the catch that saved the game in the ninth

This is the bit that hurts the most.

Game 1 goes to Philadelphia

Game 1 goes to Philadelphia

What a comeback

Incredible comeback

If Houston want to come back from this loss in Game 2, the key will be to take a leaf out of Philadelphia's playbook and try to show more discernment at the plate.

As the numbers clicked away on the scoreboard, the Phillies clawing back one, then two, and finally all five deficit runs, there was a sense that the Astros began to get more and more frantic at the plate. Hitters who are generally solid began to swing, almost wildly, at some truly diabolical pitches.

The main thing that they changed was their plate discipline. In the early innnings they were chasing Verlander's pitches. Once they started taking more, making him throw more, the table slowly turned. Instead of Verlander tearing up the Phillies and Nola getting hit all over the field, it all turned around.

As the Phillies stopped chasing pitches, the Astros began to chase them. The hot Houston bats went stone cold in the latter half of the game, at the same time that the Phillies were grinding their way through Houston's bullpen.

With the start of the game that Houston had, it seemed all but over by the fourth inning. And then something strange happened. Philly got back into the game. And they did it in small ways, there were no massive home runs, or exciting plays to get them all five runs at once. Rather they simply changed a few things and started to chip away.

End of game

An incredible come from behind win for the Phillies, the largest deficit overcome in World Series Game 1 history.

Diaz hits it to third base and the throw to first gets him out. The Phillies have won it.

Diaz leans in to the pitch and is hit. The umpire refuses to allow him the bag. Very good call. That was a cheap play by Diaz.

Wild pitch!

The first pitch is wild and gets away from Realmuto, moving the runners up 90 feet. The winning run is now in scoring position. A single could be enough to walk it off.

Aledmys Diaz will pinch hit for Trey Mancini now with the tying run on second and winning run at first.

He shows good discipline, working the count to draw the walk.

Yuli Gurriel comes to the plate, Houston's last chance to prevent the Phillies stealing this game away from them.

Tucker fouls several off, all curves, before burying one in the dirt. Tucker swings for strike three and now the Astros are down to their last out.

Kyle Tucker already has two home runs tonight and now comes to the plate. With Bregman on second, Tucker is the go-ahead run.

Robertson's curve has a lot of break on it, but Bregman doesn't bite for it. He fouls two off and works thecount to 1-2 before hitting a booming double off the left field wall, just out of the reach of the leaping Schwarber. The tying run is now on second base!

Yordan Álvarez chases a terrible pitch in the dirt for strike three, after hanging in and fouling off some good fastballs. One away

New Pitcher for the Phillies: David Robertson

The Phillies bring on David Robertson to try and slam the door on the Astros.

Bottom 10

With only three outs left, Houston will have Álvarez, Bregman, and Tucker at the plate. They need to produce something now if ever they do.

Segura pops one to third and Bregman puts it away to get out of the inning. We now head into the bottom of the 10th and Houston have only three outs to salvage this game that they seemed so in control of, and has now all but slipped through their fingers.

Stott shows good plate discipline and Stanek loses him to ball four. Jean Segura will now come up with two men on and two outs.

New Pitcher for Astros: Ryne Stanek

Ryne Stanek will come in for Houston to try and get Bryson Stott out and end the threat.

Pitching change

Bohm dribbles one to Bregman at third. No time for anything but one, Bregman makes a great throw to get Bohm by half a step. Two out and Castellanos on second. Garcia will be done.

Nick Castellanos hits a slow ground ball to second to get the lead runner, but too slow to turn two. One down with a man on first for Alec Bohm.

Bryce Harper got behind in the count before lining a single to center field. One man on and nobody out.

It is amazing to see how the Phillies came back into this game. They never got flustered, even when they were five runs down. They simply kept chipping away, hanging around and turning the game around.

Phillies have lead for first time

With this solo shot from Realmuto, Philadelphia have the lead for the first time today.

Garcia has some trouble finding the strike zone and the count is run full before offering up a home run to Realmuto to right field, just out of reach of Kyle Tucker.

New Pitcher for Astros: Luis Garcia

The Astros have a new battery with Luis Garcia on the bump and Christian Vasquez behind the dish. JT Realmuto will lead off for the Phillies.

Extra Innings

The Phillies will now have the meat of their order up in the top of the 10th.

Peña will now need to put the ball in play. He has gone 1-4 today and now hits a shallow fly ball to right. Castellanos lays out on a dead run and makes a spectacular catch, just inches off the ground! This game is going to extra innings.

The umpire's decision comes and it has been upheld. Altuve is safe.

The Phillies challenge it, and although it was close, I can't see that there is enough to overturn it. This should stand.

Peña is up and Altuve runs first pitch, the throw perfect, the tag perfect, but not in time. Stolen base.

Altuve hits a blooper that falls in between everyone for a single. Thinking that it was an out, Altuve slams his bat to the ground in frustration.

0-4 today, Altuve has gone after some terrible pitches.

Payoff pitch is the same, but this time Vasquez can't check his swing. Strike three on what should have been ball four. Two down for Jose Altuve.

Dominguez throws the outside breaking pitch and Vasquez doesn't bite. The count now 2-2 and Dominguez tries it again. Same result. The count is now full.

Vasquez is a great catcher, brought over from Boston at the trade deadline, and has a bigger bat than Maldonado. This is the type of situation that would suit bringing him in to hit.

McCormick chases a 92mph slider, low and away, for strike three. One down and Christian Vasquez will hit for Martín Maldonado.

Dusty Baker has his bullpen working, indicating that Luis Garcia would get the nod if it goes to 10

Bottom 9

Seranthony Dominguez will face Chas McCormick to try and force extra innings for Philadelphia. The Astros will be trying to end it now.

How the Phillies got back into the game

The Phillies just fight and grind it out.

Rhys Hoskins pops one up a mile high to short stop Jeremy Peña. We move to the bottom of the ninth and Houston have a chance to walk it off.

Pressly's payoff paints the bottom corner of the zone. Schwarber immediately knows it and barely needs the ump to call him out before he starts back to the dugout.

Back to the top of the order and Kyle Schwarber stays picky at the plate, forcing Pressly to run through all of his pitches. The count runs full.

Pressly throws another slider in the dirt before regrouping and coming back at Marsh with a fastball. He puts it in play to Jose Altuve, who flicks it to first for out number one.

Marsh watches two great strikes before wisely holding off on the breaking ball in the dirt.

New Pitcher for the Astros: Ryan Pressly

Ryan Pressly will face Brandon Marsh to get things going in the ninth.

Top 9

Houston will bring on their ace closer Ryan Pressly to close out the Phillies. He has been virtually unhittable of late.

Not helping his own cause, Mancini has chased low breaking balls all day. He goes after three of them now to end the inning.

Trey Mancini will stand in now at 0-3 on the night.

Gurriel slaps one down the line at third. Bohm nabs it and gets the lead runner at second for the out, but the throw not in time for the double play.

New Phillies Pitcher: Seranthony Dominguez

Seranthony Dominguez will face Yuli Gurriel with one out and Kyle Tucker on first base.

Now with one on and one out, Ranger Suarez will come out of the game to make way for Dominguez.

Kyle Tucker lines one into right field for a single, a sign of life from the Astros yet.

Bottom 8

Bregman leads off the inning and grounds out to first, kind of symbolic of the back half of this game for Houston. They just can't get anything going after coming into the game firmly in control.

Jean Segura swings at the first pitch and Gurriel gets under it at first to end the inning. Houston will come up in the bottom half of the inning with Bregman to lead off.

Bryson Stott takes one to center field where it is run down by McCormack for the second out.

Great velocity and movement on his fastball, Bohm takes three cuts and sits down. One away

New Pitcher for the Astros: Rafael Montero

The Astros bring on Rafael Montero for the eighth inning, facing Alec Bohm to lead off

We head to the eighth inning, still tied 5-5 in Houston

Álvarez is picky, working the count full, refusing to chase bad pitches. The payoff pitch is delivered and he takes a big cut.

Nothing. Out number three.

New Pitcher for the Phillies: Ranger Suarez

Ranger Suarez will come out to face the most dangerous hitter that Houston has with two outs in the seventh.

Yordan Álvarez is coming up and that will be it for Efflin. The Phillies make a pitching change.

Jeremy Peña comes to the plate and dribbles one to first for the second out. He has had a terrible time at the plate tonight as well.

Bottom 7

The Phillies leave Zack Efflin in the game to kick off the inning against Jose Altuve. It is unreal the kind of post season slump that he is in. He grounds out to short to go 0 for 4 and that makes him 3 for the last 40 at bats. Unreal!

Castellanos chases a splitter and Hector Neris does it. We go to the bottom half of the inning still tied at five.

Bases are loaded in the top of the seventh for the Phillies and after two outs, Abreu is done. Meris is brought out to try and put out the fire for the Astros.

Kyle Tucker leads off for Houston and flies out to left for the first out.

With two out and nobody on, Jean Segura takes some big cuts but is simply overpowered by Abreu. Three down and we move to the bottom of the sixth all square.

Bryson Stott stands in and watches three strikes go past him.

Pitching for the Astros: Brayan Abreu

Brayan Abreu comes on for Houston and faces Alec Bohm to lead off. He flies to Tucker in right for out number one

Three more pitches, all 101 mph, are served up before Bregman goes down on a 95 mph cutter to end the inning. We move to the sixth inning all tied up at 5

Álvarez pops out to Stott for the second of the inning. Bregman comes to the plate and gets a 101 mph strike.

Pitching for the Phillies: José Alvarado

The Phillies bring in fastball slinger José Alvarado to face Yordan Álvarez.

Peña leads off and goes down swinging, making him 0 for 3 on the day. That is going to be it from Nola.

Bottom 5

Aaron Nola is back in the game for the Phillies, having the opposite experience to Verlander. He started the game getting hit all over the place, before settling in during the last few innings.

Remarkably, we have a brand new game. Middle fifth, we are tied at five.

Verlander is emptying the tank, trying to get through the fifth so that he can get that win. He strikes out Castellanos to end the inning.

Harper grounds out and the runner moves to third. Two outs now for Castellanos.

This game has been a miniature version of the season, with the Phillies stumbling at the start and then picking away at the lead until they manage to get themselves back into the running.

Verlander had a brilliant opening three innings, and the last two have been a struggle. For all of the ease that he retired the Phillies at the beginning of the game, he now has to fight and scratch for each out, each pitch.

JT Realmuto cranks one off the left field wall, Marsh and Schwarber both score and we now have a tie ball game.

The Astros bullpen has got to get up and start throwing soon. Dusty Baker gets on the phone in the dugout, as Rhys Hoskins skies one to short stop, for an infield fly rule out. One down and men on first and second.

Kyle Schwarber works a tough set of pitches to fight back from 1-2 to draw the walk.

Top 5

Brandon Marsh kicks off the fifth with a shot down that third base line. Fair ball, it comes off the wall for a double.

Back to the top of the order and Altuve flies out to left field to end the inning.

Maldonado comes to the plate and hits a sharp one directly to short for the easy out number two.

Bottom 4

Chas McCormick leads off for the Astros in the fourth and goes down swinging. Nola's curveball is working today, getting hard commits out of the Astros hitters. One down.

Jean Segura pops out to second to end the inning. But the Phillies have pulled themselves up off the floor, and they are back in the game. In the middle of the fourth, it is 5-3

Bryson Stott battles through a ten pitch at-bat before drawing the walk on a high curve that misses.

Alec Bohm pulls the first pitch down the line to left, clearing the bases with a two-out double. It is a whole new ball game, 5-3.

Nick Catellanos slaps one to left field to drive in the first run for the Phillies. 5-1 with runners on first and second.

Bryce Harper lines one to center, advancing Hoskins to third. Men now at the corners with two out.

Hoskins smacks a single to center, before Realmuto beans one back to Verlander, who bats it down and makes the play at first for two outs. Hoskins moves to two on the play.

Top 4

Kyle Schwarber comes up and flies out to center field. Verlander has now retired ten hitters in a row.

The last time this was done in the World Series was back in 1975 by my old college coach Luis Tiant!

Savannah College of Art & Design, represent!

Tucker...again

Kyle Tucker is now 2 for 2 with 2 home runs

Trey Mancini grounds out to third to end the inning. Through three, Houston leads 5-0

The Phillies get Andrew Bellati up in the bullpen.

Maldonado will come to the plate now and hits one to second for the second out.

Astros 5-0

And Aaron Nola's worst nightmare comes true. Kyle Tucker takes him deep to right center again.

The count was 0-2 before Tucker fought off some great pitches to get it to 3-2. Nola delivered the fastball and it was gone. Airmail. Houston now takes a commanding lead 5-0.

Nola walks him and now there is a completely different type of trouble. Kyle Tucker comes to the plate with one out and men at the corners.

The infield will play in for Alex Bregman, looking for the double play ball.

Alvarez takes a swing and it dribbles to third, a swinging bunt, and he beats it out! They will take a look at it and it is overturned. Peña is at third with one out.

Bottom 3

Jeremy Peña comes up and tries a bunt, but fouls it off. Interesting that he backs himself to beat it out, with the Astros one of the only teams willing to do that sort of thing.

He takes the next pitch inside out down the right field line for a leadoff double.

Brandon Marsh gets two quick strikes before watching a beauty of a curve for strike three. We go to the middle of the third, 2-0 Astros.

Segura hits a chopper to third, Bregman takes it in and makes the long throw for out number two.

Top 3

Verlander takes the mound and will face Bryson Stott to start the inning.

Stott swings and misses. Verlander is on fire!

Jose Altuve comes up first pitch swinging and grounds into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning. It could have been worse for the Phillies but the Astros get on the board first. We end two with the score 2-0 Houston.

The hit and run is put on and is executed perfectly. The second baseman broke for the bag to cover the steal, and Maldonado, low average and all, pokes one into right, scoring Gurriel from third.

Catcher Martín Maldonado comes to the plate. With a .186, he is perhaps the worst hitter in the game. But the Astros really pay him for what he does behind the plate.

Chas McCormick stands in and nubs one into right field for a bloop single. Gurriel's speed sees him stretch to third on the play.

Gurriel gets the free pass and Mancini comes to the plate. Nola is heavily preoccupied with Gurriel, making pick moves several times to the bag.

Trey Mancin goes down swinging for the first out of the inning.

Tucker's big shot to open it up

Bottom 2

Kyle Tucker draws first blood, taking a 1-1 pitch deep to right field to open the scoring.

1-0 Houston

Bohm taps one to Verlander, who makes the flip to first for the one, two, three inning. Middle of two and we are still scoreless here in Houston.

Castellanos pops one up to the infield for the second out.

Justin Verlander didn't shy away from the attack, going right after Harper with three fastballs, all high in the zone.

Top 2

Bryce Harper leads off the second inning and comes out swinging. Three pitches and three vicious swings, all air, for the first out of the inning.

Old college room mates at LSU, Bregman and Nola have a long history together.

Alex Bregman comes up and watches a ball before popping up the easy third out to third base.

The best hitter in baseball for most of the season was Yordan Alvarez, and had Aaron Judge not broken an immortal record with the Yankees, there would be no doubt that Alvarez was the American League's, and possibly all of baseball's, batting king. He watches four straight balls go by for a free pass.

Jeremy Peña comes up to the plate. What a revelation he has been this season! Tasked with replacing Carlos Correa, anyone would forgive the rookie shortstop for just hanging in there. But he has done more than than, equalling and perhaps even surpassing Correa.

He looks at a called strike three for out number two.

Altive chases a couple and fouls them off, before going after a terrible pitch for the third strike. One down.

Nola has been effervescent in the post season, and opens with a fastball strike to Jose Altuve.

Bottom 1

The Astros come to the plate for the first time tonight and Jose Altuve, Jeremy Peña, and Yordan Alvarez will face Aaron Nola to get things started.

Payoff pitch from Verlander is lined to Kyle Tucker in right field for out number three. The side is retired and the Astros will come up to bat in the bottom of the inning.

The count is worked to 3-1 and Verlander delivers a low fastball for the called strike two.

JT Realmuto stands in and Verlander goes to work on him, juuuusstt missing with a beautiful breaking ball.

Hoskins swings early and skies one to McCormick for out number two.

Verlander is working high in the zone tonight, and he gets Schwarber on a called strike three! Great pitch!

One out and Rhys Hoskins comes to the plate for Philly.

Scwwarber has a big hack and fouls one into the upper deck. What a swing!

And we are off!

The roof is closed at Minute Maid tonight, so there should be no controversies around wind tonight. Kyle Schwarber comes to the plate and Verlander delivers the first pitch for a strike. The 2022 World Series is now underway.

The Edge

Both of these teams have incredible offensive skills, but coming into the game, the Phillies are the ones who are on a hot streak. And by hot, I mean blazing!

On paper, Houston are the better team, based in no small part on their pitching staff who have been dicing up opposition all season. Verlander is a machine.

While it promises to be a close contest, the edge would have to go to Houston, with the history and experience, not to mention a shoe-in Hall of Famer as a manager, they should be able to steady the ship and sail it to a win.

But strange things have been known to happen...

Bryce Harper, 12 years old

This ain't his first rodeo

Most wins without a World Series title

If anybody deserves it, Dusty does.

Early memories

The first baseball player that I remember being a true "fan" of was Tug McGraw. "Ya Gotta Believe!"

Just about 25 minutes from first pitch

Interesting facts about this meeting between the Phillies and Astros, courtesy of MLB.com

* This is the Phillies’ first trip to the World Series since 2009, when they lost to the Yankees in six games.

* The Astros are 11-1 in October (regular season and postseason). The only team to beat them in that span? The Phillies, who won, 3-0, on Oct. 3 in Houston.

* The Astros and Phillies met once previously in the playoffs. That was in 1980, when Houston split the first two games of the best-of-five NLCS, won Game 3 and then dropped the final two games. Four of the five games went into extra innings.

* The Astros are 9-15 all-time in World Series games, having lost six of their past eight games in the Fall Classic. Houston is 3-9 all-time at home in the World Series, having lost six of its past seven World Series home games.

Lineups

Phillies
Kyle Schwarber, LF
Rhys Hoskins, 1B
J.T. Realmuto, C
Bryce Harper, DH
Nick Castellanos, RF
Alec Bohm, 3B
Bryson Stott, SS
Jean Segura, 2B
Brandon Marsh, CF

Astros
Jose Altuve, 2B
Jeremy Peña, SS
Yordan Alvarez, LF
Alex Bregman, 3B
Kyle Tucker, RF
Yuli Gurriel, 1B
Trey Mancini, DH
Chas McCormick, CF
Martín Maldonado, C

Pitching

Phillies
RHAaron Nola
3.25 ERA
205.0 IP
235 SO
0.96 WHIP

Astros
RHJustin Verlander
1.75 ERA
175.0 IP
185 SO
0.83 WHIP

Game 1 will see Verlander take the mound for Houston, squaring off with another ace for Philadelphia in Aaron Nola. Back in early October, it was at Minute Maid that the Phillies clinched their NL Wild Card spot, and Nola went 6.2 perfect innings. They will be hoping that he can repeat that performance tonight.

On the flip side of that storybook sit the Houston Astros. A few worrisome mid-summer injuries aside, they have been firmly in the driver’s seat in the American League all season. While the Yankees had a wondrous run after the All-Star break that saw Aaron Judge break Roger Maris’ franchise and league single season home run record, there was little doubt that the Astros juggernaut would finish up in the Fall Classic.

With booming bats and a wiliness on the bases, the Astros offense is the focus of much attention. But the true revelation, especially towards the back end of the season, has been Houston’s pitching. It has been nothing short of phenomenal. Justin Verlander has led the pack, and the league, with an arm that seems to get better with age. Control and placement have been his hallmarks, in a season that sees him as close to a sure thing as can be in baseball to the guaranteed Cy Young winner.

This season has been a wild ride for the Philadelphia Phillies, starting off the season with a poor 22-29 start that led to manager Joe Girardi being let go. After two and a half seasons with the organization, and in charge of a roster sitting on a record payroll, Girardi was unable to repeat the kind of success that he had with the Yankees, and Rob Thomson was given the reins as interim manager.

Getting here the hard way, the Phillies had to battle their way through the Wild Card series before taking down favorites Atlanta. San Diego’s Cinderella story on the west coast was dealt swift shrift by Bryce Harper and the Phillies have never looked hotter than the streak they are riding at the moment.

Good evening and welcome to Diario AS: USA’s live commentary stream of the 2022 World Series. We will bring you all of the action as it unfolds here, with a mix of play-by-play and opinion, scattered with random facts, news, and the insight of our MLB staff throughout this series.