With one more win, the Braves can clinch their fourth Major League title – and their second since moving to Atlanta in 1966 – but the Houston Astros are not going away quietly in Game 5 of the World Series on Sunday night.
Adam Duvall hit a first-inning grand slam off Framber Valdez, but the Astros clawed back to take a 7-5 lead thanks to RBI doubles from Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa, a pair of sacrifice RBIs, a bases-loaded walk by Martin Maldonado, and a two-run single by Marwin Gonzalez.
Freddie Freeman slammed a 460-foot home run in the third inning to give the Braves a 5-4 lead.
The Braves’ hot hitting was accompanied by the fans’ ‘tomahawk chop’ chant, which has been derided by Native American groups as offensive, but defended by everyone from team executives to former President Donald Trump. In fact, Trump and wife Melania performed the gesture, often described as racist, while attending Game 4 in Atlanta on Saturday.
The Braves are among the last holdouts using Native American branding in professional sports after both the Washington Football Team (nee: Redskins) and the Cleveland Guardians (nee: Indians) agreed to change their names in 2020.
Previously, in July of 2020, Braves Chairman Terry McGuirk and team president Derek Schiller said they spoke with various leaders from the Eastern Band of Cherokees, based in North Carolina, who remained in favor the name and chant. However, groups including the Atlanta Indigenous Peoples Association disagree, saying they were not consulted and vehemently oppose the chop chant.
‘We are frequently faced with that misrepresentation or that warrior savage imagery that our ancestors were killed for,’ said Laura Cummings Balgari, co-director of the association, as quoted by CNN. ‘Generally, we are represented as artifacts, people that aren’t really real.’
Adam Duvall #14 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam home run against the Houston Astros during the first inning in Game Five of the World Series at Truist Park on Sunday
Houston Astros’ Carlos Correa celebrates after an RBI-double during the third inning on Sunday night in Atlanta
The Braves’ hot hitting was accompanied by the fans’ ‘tomahawk chop’ chant, which has been derided by Native American groups as offensive, but defended by everyone from team executives to former President Donald Trump. In fact, Trump and wife Melania performed the gesture, often described as racist, while attending Game 4 in Atlanta on Saturday. The Braves are among the last holdouts using Native American branding in professional sports after both the Washington Football Team (nee: Redskins) and the Cleveland Guardians (nee: Indians) agreed to change their names in 2020. Previously, in July of 2020, Braves Chairman Terry McGuirk and team president Derek Schiller said they spoke with various leaders from the Eastern Band of Cherokees, based in North Carolina , who remained in favor the name and chant
Freddie Freeman then put the Braves back on top, 5-4, in the third inning with a home run to deep right-center field
Although did have a solid 1-2-3 second inning, Valdez was knocked around for nearly three full innings — and not just by Freeman and Duvall.
Back in the leadoff spot for Atlanta, Jorge Soler reached on a bad-hop single to left leading off. Freeman flied out and Ozzie Albies grounded into a forceout. Austin Riley singled, and when Houston left fielder Yordan Alvarez threw to third even though he had no chance to catch the speedy Albies, Riley continued to second.
Eddie Rosario walked, loading the bases, and Duvall responded by driving a first-pitch 95.4 mph fastball on the low, outside corner to the opposite field. Right fielder Michael Brantley backtracked but ran out of room, and the ball soared over the 16-foot brick wall in right and into the second row of seats in front of the Chop House restaurant,
It was just the third first-inning slam in Series history, following Elmer Smith in Game 5 in 1920 and Bobby Richardson in Game 3 in 1960.
Valdez was facing the Astros for the second time in the Series after losing the opener.
Meanwhile, rookie Tucker Davidson pitched around a walk to throw a scoreless first inning for the Braves, his first major league action in 4 1/2 months. He was ultimately pulled in the third inning in favor of Jesse Chavez.
Added to the roster on Wednesday after Charlie Morton broke a leg in the opener, Davidson entered with just five major league appearances – the last June 15.
Bregman had been 1 for 14 in this World Series with five strikeouts prior to his RBI double. Houston was hitless in its previous 12 at-bats with runners in scoring position, and 4 for 31 overall.
Amid ongoing controversy over the Braves’ name and ‘tomahawk chop’ chant, several fans were seen wearing headdresses
A few fans wear headdresses prior to Game Five of the World Series between the Astros and Braves in Atlanta
A fan holds a sign prior to Game Five between the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves of the World Series at Truist Park
A fan dressed for halloween is seen at Game 5 of the World Series on Sunday at Atlanta’s Truist Park
Tucker Davidson #64 of the Atlanta Braves warms up prior to Game Five of the World Series
Doug (R) with daughter Sydney of Atlanta and dressed as Thing 1 and Thing 2 for Halloween during Sunday’s Game 5
A fan looks on prior to Game Five of the World Series between the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park
A Atlanta Braves fan holds up a sign during batting practice before Game 5 of the World Series against the Houston Astros
Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies walks across the field ahead of Game 5 of the World Series against the Astros
A fan watches during batting practice before Game 5 of the World Series on Sunday at Atlanta’s Truist Park
Atlanta Braves designated hitter Jorge Soler smiles during batting practice before Game 5 on Sunday at Truist Park
Hall of Famer Greg Maddux threw out the ceremonial first pitch earlier in the evening.
Maddux, wearing his Braves jersey, tipped his cap in response to an ovation from fans as he walked onto the field. Fittingly, he threw the pitch to Eddie Perez, who was often his designated catcher.
Perez, also a former Braves coach, now is a special advisor for player development for the team.
Maddux won four consecutive Cy Young Awards for the Chicago Cubs and the Braves, including in 1995 when he posted a remarkable 19-2 record with a 1.63 ERA for Atlanta’s 1995 World Series champion team.
It was a rare Atlanta appearance for ‘Mad Dog’ Maddux. The 55-year-old Maddux is the pitching coach for UNLV.
Hall of Famer Greg Maddux threw out the ceremonial first pitch earlier in the evening. Maddux, wearing his Braves jersey, tipped his cap in response to an ovation from fans as he walked onto the field. Fittingly, he threw the pitch to Eddie Perez, who was often his designated catcher
In what could be the final at-bat of his career, Astros hurler Zach Greinke became the first pitcher to get a pinch hit in a World Series game since 1923 with a fourth-inning single.
There’s a good chance Major League Baseball will bring the designated hitter to the National League next year – likely forever. That means Sunday night’s game at Truist Park might mark the final time a pitcher ever appears in a big league batting order.
‘I think it’s definitely going to be pretty special that this could be the last pitchers ever hitting in baseball. We’ve definitely brought it up,’ Braves starter Ian Anderson said.
No more Madison Bumgarner swinging for the fences. No more Bartolo Colon flailing and losing his helmet – or shocking everyone by going deep. No more Greinke grounding a single up the middle, as he did Saturday night in Game 4.
Say goodbye to double switches. Sacrifice bunts would shrivel up and automatic intentional walks to face the pitcher would vanish, too. So would the risk of a $20 million ace pulling his hamstring while running the bases.
Plus, the little nuances that would disappear: the bat boy running out a warmup jacket to the pitcher at first base, the on-deck hitter lingering near the batter’s box to give his hurler more time to walk back to the dugout.
Pitcher Zack Greinke #21 of the Houston Astros hits a single against Kyle Wright on Saturday night in Atlanta
More than a century of strategy and baseball fabric, ripped away.
‘Once it ever changes to no DH, then it will probably never change back, and that’s something that would sadden me,’ Astros manager Dusty Baker said.
Good riddance, says Houston shortstop Carlos Correa.
‘To me, that’s not real baseball,’ he said Saturday. ‘I want to see real hitters out there.’
Sure, a few pitchers might get an at-bat here and there, maybe in extra innings when teams run out of position players.
So who knows, maybe the Hall of Fame will get the bat Framber Valdez uses when he starts Game 5 for Houston. The Braves plan a bullpen game, so it’s possible none of their pitchers will hit.
‘To be honest with you, the last time that I hit was in the regular season in San Diego, I thought I was done hitting,’ Valdez said through a translator Saturday.
‘Fourteen or 15 was the last time that I hit regularly in a league. I liked to hit in that era,’ he said. ‘It’s a little bit different hitting as a pitcher here in the big leagues. So I still like hitting in softball back home in the Dominican, but hitting as a major league pitcher, I don’t like it.’
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 31: Manager Brian Snitker #43 of the Atlanta Braves looks on during batting practice ahead of Game Five of the World Series against the Houston Astros at Truist Park on Sunday
The DH debate has raged since 1973, when Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees became the first player to fill the role. It continues to this day, when American League teams often feel at a disadvantage when the World Series shifts to an NL park.
Holding a 3-1 lead, the Braves hope to clinch the crown Sunday night. If not, the scene moves back to a DH setup at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
Since the DH era began, the only pitchers to homer in the World Series have been Joe Blanton for Philadelphia in 2008 and Ken Holtzman for Oakland in 1974.
Overall, pitchers are just 3 for 49 (.061) at the plate this postseason.
Not that many pitchers do a lot of damage at other times, either – besides Shohei Ohtani, of course. Big league hurlers hit a collective .108 this season. Max Scherzer, who used to handle the bat fairly well, was a whopping 0 for 62 for the Dodgers and Washington, didn’t safely reach base once and struck out half the time.
Greinke, meanwhile, does fine at the plate. So much so that Baker moved him from the pitcher’s customary ninth spot in the batting order to eighth in Game 4.
The only other pitcher who didn’t bat ninth in the World Series was Babe Ruth back in 1918. Greinke responded with the first hit by a pitcher in the Fall Classic since Cleveland’s Corey Kluber in 2016.
‘Some of the guys don’t miss it, some pitchers. And there’s some pitchers that absolutely miss it. Like Greinke, he’s dying to hit,’ Baker said earlier this week.
Baker would prefer to see things stay the way they are.
‘I’m in favor of leaving it the way it is. Let the DH stand in the American League, and in the National League play the National League style of ball because they’re both interesting,’ he said.
: A fan holds a sign in Game Five of the World Series between the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park
Braves reliever Jesse Chavez agreed.
‘My personal opinion, I think it should stay the same. I think it’s beneficial for the game because it adds two different aspects. It’s a chess game out there. It’s not checkers,’ he explained.
Braves manager Brian Snitker has spent four decades in the Atlanta system at all levels as a player, coach and skipper. He admits he would miss the double switches, bunts and other aspects of National League strategy.
But after watching the NL use the DH in 2020 during the pandemic-shortened season, he saw a lot to like.
‘I just see so many pitchers now that go to the plate and, No. 1, they don’t want to,’ Snitker said. ‘Honestly, I think it will be a better game to watch. It will be more action, more stuff going on.’
‘Prior to experiencing it last year, I was kind of like the old guard. I was not for it. I am for it now,’ he added. ‘Because I see for every Max Fried and Adam Wainwright and Madison Bumgarner, there’s 15 guys who can’t hit. Again, they don’t grow up hitting. They grow up pitching, and they’re not hitting.’
A general view of the field prior to Game Five of the World Series at Atlanta’s Truist Park on Sunday afternoon