Jose Siri on Wednesday launched himself headfirst into home plate, popped up with arms flexed and screamed with all his might, as he helped the Houston Astros tie the World Series with a 7-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
The career minor leaguer has sparked a team whose biggest stars took a while to shine.
“It’s a long ways from waiver wire and Triple-A to the World Series,” Houston manager Dusty Baker said. “And he’s handled it pretty well.”
Photo: EPA-EFE
Jose Altuve doubled early, homered late and scored twice to break out at the plate. Siri’s speed and aggressive play created havoc on the bases, leading to a four-run second inning that helped the Astros snap a five-game skid at home in the World Series.
It is the first time they have won a World Series game in Houston since a 13-12 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 10 innings in Game 5 on Oct. 29, 2017.
Altuve hit a leadoff double and scored in the first inning before adding a solo homer in the seventh, as the October-tested Astros rolled past the suddenly sloppy Braves.
It was Altuve’s 22nd career post-season homer, tying Bernie Williams for second-most behind Manny Ramirez (29).
“You can be 0 for 20,” Altuve said. “But what about if you get the big hit? So that’s what playoffs is about.”
Siri and Altuve ignited an offense still waiting on a big swing from Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman and American League Championship Series MVP Yordan Alvarez in this series.
Jose Urquidy gave his fans a performance to remember, becoming the first Mexican pitcher with two World Series wins.
Before the game, he asked the Astros to play El Corrido De Mazatlan as his warm-up music instead of La Casita, the song he had been using.
“Mazatlan, a lot of people come to see me,” he said of his Mexican hometown, “and they wanted to hear that music.”
“It means a lot,” the 26-year-old right-hander said after striking out seven over five innings. “This is something that I have worked for a long time, when I was a kid, when I play in Mexico. I’m living the dream.”
Urquidy beat the Washington Nationals in Game 4 two years ago with five scoreless innings of two-hit ball. The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Fernando Valenzuela (1981), the Detroit Tigers’ Aurelio Lopez (1984) and the Dodgers’ Victor Gonzalez (last year) are the only other Mexican pitchers with World Series wins.
“I know there’s a lot of Mexican people that in the stands tonight, that are there supporting me,” Urquidy said. “It makes me feel even more motivated and focused knowing that I have to do a good job, and it makes me proud to represent the country that I’m from.”
The best-of-seven series shifts to Atlanta for the first of three games tonight, with Ian Anderson scheduled to pitch for the Braves against rookie Luis Garcia.
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