After getting drubbed by the Phillies, 7-0, in Game 3 of the World Series on Tuesday night in Philadelphia, the Astros will try to do something they've achieved only once since their run of playoff success began in 2015: come back from a 2-1 deficit in a best-of-seven series to win. In all best-of-seven postseason series tied 1-1, the Game 3 winner has captured the series 68 of 98 times (69%). That doesn't include the 2021 Astros, who came from 2-1 down to eliminate the Red Sox in the American League Championship Series. Houston lost Game 3 to Boston at Fenway Park, 12-3, before reeling off three wins in a row to advance to the World Series. Astros third baseman Alex Bregman said the team has no choice but to turn the page and forget about Game 3. |
"You have to," he said. "That's what baseball is all about. The best part about baseball is you get to play again the next day." As bleak as things looked following Houston's shutout loss Tuesday night, a win in Game 4 on Wednesday night, with Cristian Javier on the mound, would even the Fall Classic and swing home-field advantage back in the Astros' favor. "As a team, we believe in each other," veteran catcher Martín Maldonado said. "We know what we've got to do. We got Cristian Javier going tomorrow, [Justin Verlander] going the next day [in Game 5]. It's about taking it one game at a time. And the other thing we have to do is go out there and put the pressure on them." |
WORLD SERIES GAME 4 GUIDE |
Game 4, which will air on FOX at 7 p.m. CT, is scheduled for Wednesday. All games are available in the U.S. on MLB.TV (authentication to a participating Pay TV provider is required). Live games are also available in select countries outside the U.S. For full details, click here. Probable starters Astros: RHP Cristian Javier Phillies: RHP Aaron Nola Projected lineups |
1. Jose Altuve, 2B
2. Jeremy Peña, SS
3. Yordan Alvarez, LF
4. Alex Bregman, 3B
5. Kyle Tucker, RF
6. Yuli Gurriel, 1B
7. Trey Mancini, DH
8. Chas McCormick, CF
9. Martín Maldonado, C |
1. Kyle Schwarber, LF
2. Rhys Hoskins, 1B
3. J.T. Realmuto, C
4. Bryce Harper, DH
5. Nick Castellanos, RF
6. Alec Bohm, 3B
7. Bryson Stott, SS
8. Jean Segura, 2B
9. Brandon Marsh, CF More information on Game 4 can be found here. |
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Astros: The Astros were shut out in a World Series game for the fourth time in franchise history in Game 3 and didn't even manage an extra-base hit. Ultimately, there's not much manager Dusty Baker can do with his lineup, which has featured the same top six hitters in each playoff game this season and will continue to do so in Game 4. The only real question is what to do at designated hitter. Rookie David Hensley made his first start at DH in Game 3 and got a single. Aledmys Díaz is 0-for-8 with four strikeouts against Nola, and Mancini is 0-for-5 with two strikeouts against the right-hander. Phillies: Don't expect manager Rob Thomson to change a thing with his lineup. This is the lineup he has used throughout the postseason against right-handed pitching. There is no reason to think he will change now. |
Astros: Javier (1-0, 1.35 ERA) will face the Phillies for the first time in his brief career. He threw 1 1/3 innings in relief in Game 1 of the ALDS on Oct. 11 against the Mariners and held the Yankees to one hit in 5 1/3 scoreless innings in his Game 3 start of the ALCS on Oct. 22 in New York. He threw three games in relief in last year's World Series, but Game 4 will be his first career start in the Fall Classic. Phillies: Nola (2-1, 4.57 ERA) hopes to rebound in Game 4 after struggling in Game 1 in Houston, allowing five runs in only 4 1/3 innings. Nola has been hit hard in each of his last two starts, including Game 2 of the NLCS against the Padres in San Diego. Before that, he allowed one unearned run in 12 2/3 innings against St. Louis in the Wild Card Series and Atlanta in the NLDS. |
Astros: The Astros used none of their high-leverage playoff relievers in Game 3, which means Rafael Montero, Héctor Neris, Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly will be well-rested for Game 4. Even if Javier gets pulled from the game early, Luis Garcia is available to provide some length. Phillies: Everything went so well Tuesday that the Phils will have a well-rested bullpen in Game 4. They used right-handers Connor Brogdon, Kyle Gibson, Nick Nelson and Andrew Bellatti in Game 3. Gibson started in the regular season, and Nelson was the long man, meaning every one of Thomson's most high-leverage relievers will be ready to roll. That includes Bellatti, who threw only 14 pitches. |
Astros: After going 4-for-9 in the first two games of the World Series, Altuve went 0-for-4 in Game 3. … Alvarez is 4-for-32 with 12 strikeouts since hitting two game-winning homers in the first two games of the ALDS. … Tucker is 3-for-12 in the World Series, Bregman is 2-for-11 and Peña is 3-for-12. Phillies: Harper's six home runs this postseason are second in Phillies postseason history. Jayson Werth hit seven homers in 2009. Harper's 12 extra-base hits are the most in Phillies postseason history. Ryan Howard (2009) and Werth (2008) are second with 10. … Hoskins' six postseason homers are tied with Harper, Chase Utley (2009) and Lenny Dykstra (1993) for second. … Bohm has not had a great offensive postseason, but he has made his hits count. His six extra-base hits are the most by a third baseman in Phillies postseason history. Pedro Feliz (2008) and Dave Hollins (1993) are second with five. Mike Schmidt had four in 1980. |
• The Phillies tied a World Series record with five home runs in a game. The Astros (Oct. 29, 2017, vs. Dodgers), A's (Oct. 27, 1989, vs. Giants) and Yankees (Oct. 9, 1928, vs Cardinals) are the only others. • The Astros have been shut out in three of their last seven World Series games, compared to once in their previous 20 World Series games. • In all best-of-seven postseason series tied 1-1, the Game 3 winner has captured the series 68 of 98 times (69%). In series with the current 2-3-2 format, teams breaking a 1-1 tie by winning Game 3 in their home ballpark have gone on to win the series 29 of 47 times (62%), including the Phillies in the 2022 NLCS vs the Padres. |
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