Nov 02

World Series Game Six, 2021

Braves at Astros, 5:09 PM PDT, TV: Fox

LHP Max Fried (Postseason 1-2, 5.40 ERA) tries to nail the series victory down for the Braves. Standing in his way is RHP Luis Garcia (Postseason 1-2, 7.62 ERA) of the Astros.

From MLB:

Fried had a shaky outing in Game 2, giving up five runs in the game’s first two innings. But much of the damage against him came on ground-ball singles through the holes, and he settled in as the game evolved. Garcia allowed one run on three hits with four walks and six strikeouts in only 3 2/3 innings in Game 3 on Friday.

On this date in baseball history Chase Utley homered twice in Game Five of the 2009 World Series, staving off elimination by the Yankees for one more day. The Cubs beat the Indians 8-7 in ten innings in Game Seven of the 2016 World Series to win their first title in 108 years.

Lineups when available.

Braves:

Astros:

Oct 31

World Series Game Five, 2021

Astros at Braves, 5:09 PM PDT, TV: Fox

LHP Framber Valdez (Postseason 1-1, 6.35 ERA) tries to halt the Braves’ march to the title, while LHP Tucker Davidson (0-0, 3.60 ERA) opens for the Braves. Valdez won Game Five of the ALCS, giving up just one run over eight innings to the Red Sox. Davidson was not initially on the World Series roster but replaced Charlie Morton, who broke his leg in Game One.

On this date in baseball history Derek Jeter hit a game-winning HR in the 10th inning of Game Four of the 2001 World Series, earning himself the nickname “Mr. November.” In Game Three of the 2009 World Series a fly ball off Alex Rodriguez’s bat became the subject of the first use of instant replay in a Series, and in 2010 the battery of Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey were the first rookies to start a World Series game since Spec Shea and Yogi Berra in 1947.

Lineups when available.

Astros:

Braves:

Oct 30

World Series Game Four, 2021

Astros at Braves, 5:09 PM PDT, TV: Fox

RHP Zack Greinke (Postseason 0-0, 7.71 ERA) pitches for the Astros and LHP Dylan Lee (Postseason 0-0, 3.38 ERA) pitches for the Braves.

Today in baseball history President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch at the 2001 World Series, the Red Sox won the 2013 World Series and the Nationals won the 2019 World Series.

Lineups when available.

Astros:

Braves:

Oct 29

World Series Game Three, 2021

Astros at Braves, 5:09 PM PDT, TV: Fox

The Astros send RHP Luis Garcia (Postseason 1-1, 9.64 ERA) to the mound and the Braves counter with RHP Ian Anderson (Postseason 1-0, 2.25 ERA).

Today in baseball history was mostly filled with managerial and executive moves, as it wasn’t until 2001 that the World Series was extended this late in the year. In 2008 the Phillies won their second championship by beating the Rays in the continuation of a rain-suspended game, and in 2014 Madison Bumgarner pitched five scoreless relief innings in Game Seven and his Giants beat the Royals in Kansas City.

Lineups when available.

Astros:

Braves:

Oct 27

World Series Game Two, 2021

Braves at Astros, 5:09 PM PDT, TV: Fox

LHP Max Fried (Postseason 1-1, 3.78 ERA) takes the hill for the Braves and RHP José Urquidy (Postseason 0-1, 27.00 ERA) goes for the Astros.

Today in baseball history the Royals won Game Seven and thus the World Series in 1985, the Mets beat the Red Sox to do the same in 1986, in 1991 Jack Morris made his (ultimately successful) bid for the Hall of Fame by throwing a 10-inning 1-0 shutout in Game Seven which the Twins won on a walkoff single in the bottom of the tenth, and in their 42nd season the Angels finally won a World Series in 2002.

Lineups when available.

Braves:

Astros:

Oct 25

World Series Game One, 2021

Braves at Astros, 5:09 PM PDT, TV: Fox

The Braves send out righthander Charlie Morton (Postseason 0-1, 3.77 ERA), who’s got World Series experience with the Astros (2017) and the Rays (2020). He’ll face the Astros’ lefthander Framber Valdez (Postseason 1-0, 4.20 ERA). He had the longest outing of any starter this postseason on any team: eight innings of three-hit ball against the Red Sox in Game Five of the ALCS. This will be his first World Series.

I’m no fan of the Braves and their loathsome “tomahawk chop” and chant, but my disdain for the Houston Astros can be measured in metric tons, so I guess I’m very mildly rooting for the Atlanta team.

Addendum: Here’s what a guy at Deadspin says about these teams after making suggestions to improve the playoff system:

In the meantime, enjoy the baseball being played by two very good teams who were not the best in baseball this year but earned their way to the World Series. There’s no good rooting option — it’s the cheaters (yes, we’re still for Dusty Baker getting a ring) against the racists (yes, Freddie Freeman seems like a real good dude, and Tyler Matzek is a fantastic story, and so is Eddie Rosario, and not everyone who roots for that team is a racist, but seriously, we’ve been hearing the Chop for 30 years despite it being called out for what it is FROM THE JUMP — oh, and they had anti-vaxxer Travis Tritt sing the national anthem on Saturday) — but the games should be good.

Lineups when available.

Braves:

Astros:

Oct 23

NLCS Game Six, 2021

Dodgers at Braves, 5:07 PM PDT, TV: TBS

Max Scherzer reports his arm is still tired, so the Dodgers’ RHP Walker Buehler (postseason 0-1, 3.77 ERA) has stepped up to volunteer to start this elimination game. He’ll be on short rest: he started Game Three on Oct. 19. He’ll face the Braves’ RHP Ian Anderson (postseason 1-0, 2.25 ERA). Anderson has had his full complement of rest days: he last pitched in Game Two on Oct 17.

Today in baseball history Branch Rickey announced the signing of Jackie Robinson and Johnny Wright in 1947, Joe Carter hit a walk-off home run in Game Six of the 1993 World Series to give Toronto its second consecutive title and the Giants won their 21st pennant as Juan Uribe homered in the 8th inning of Game Six of the NLCS in 2010.

Lineups when available.

Dodgers:

Braves:

Oct 22

ALCS Game Six, 2021

Red Sox at Astros, 5:08 PM PDT, TV: FS1

The visiting Red Sox need to win today to stay alive. They’ll give the ball to RHP Nathan Eovaldi (postseason 2-1, 5.51 ERA) and ask him to keep the Astros down. The Astros ask RHP Luis Garcia (postseason 0-1, 24.55 ERA) to end the Series right now.

Today in baseball history John Updike published his ode to Ted Williams as “The Kid” played his final game at Fenway Park in 1960, in 1975 the Reds beat the Red Sox in a World Series filled with reversals, home runs, and foul balls waved fair, Albert Pujols homered three times in Game Three of the 2011 World Series, and in 2016 the Cubs beat the Dodgers in Game Six of the NLCS to win their first pennant in 71 years.

Lineups:

Red Sox:

Astros:

Oct 21

NLCS Game Five, 2021

Braves at Dodgers, 5:07 PM PDT, TV: TBS

LHP Max Fried (postseason 1-0, 1.50 ERA) tries to close out the Series for the Braves, while the Dodgers throw their entire bullpen (or at least those who aren’t exhausted).

Today in baseball history the newly-moved San Francisco Giants bought and moved the San Francisco Seals to Phoenix, Arizona. The hallowed PCL team had played in the City-by-the-Bay since 1903. The Phillies won their first-ever World Series behind Steve Carlton’s four-hitter in 1980 on this date, in 2000 the Yankees and Mets played the longest World Series game ever (to that point), 12 innings in 4:51, and in 2006 two rookie pitchers started a World Series game against one another for the first time; the Cardinals’ Anthony Reyes outdueled the Tigers’ Justin Verlander.

Lineups when available.

Braves:

Dodgers:

Oct 20

NLCS Game Four, 2021

It’s gotta be the haircut. He started hitting the moment he cut his hair. Sort of a reverse Samson.

Houston Mitchell in the LA Times on Bellinger’s home run

Braves at Dodgers, 5:08 PM PDT, TV: TBS

The Braves give the ball to RHP Huascar Ynoa (postseason 0-0, 18.00 ERA). He’ll face the Dodgers’ LHP Julio Urías (postseason 1-0, 3.60 ERA). The Dodgers hope that Urías can bounce back from his relief showing in Game Two in which he gave up 2 runs on 3 hits and Atlanta tied and later won the game.

Today in baseball history Gene Tenace hit his fourth home run of the Series in 1972, Orel Hershiser threw a four-hitter to win Game Five and the Series for the Dodgers in 1988 and the Red Sox completed their 2004 ALCS comeback from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees and move on to the World Series.

Lineups when available.

Braves:

Dodgers: