Astros overcome multiple deficits, keep World Series title hopes alive against Atlanta

Just in time, Carlos Correa and the Houston Astros broke out the bats.

Because if they had waited any longer, this World Series would've been over.

Atlanta might not admit it was a deflating defeat; 66-year-old manager Brian Snitker is too steady and savvy for that. But by any measure in the Analytics Age, this had to sting.

"I'm just glad we get to go back to Houston. That was our goal today," Astros skipper Dusty Baker said.

Correa came through with three hits after getting moved up to third in the lineup for Game 5 while Bregman was dropped to seventh. Martin Maldonado found three different ways to drive in runs and pinch-hitter Marwin Gonzalez blooped a two-out, two-run single in the fifth for a 7-5 lead.

A matchup of bullpens turned into the first high-scoring game of this Fall Classic, and the highest-scoring team in the majors this year won it.

"It was tough. But before the game we talked and we said, `We're not gonna give up,"' Correa said.

Couldn't hold down the Astros forever, a parade of Atlanta pitchers found out as the clock passed midnight and the calendar flipped to November.

Correa gained attention earlier this postseason for marking big hits by pointing at his wrist, where a watch might be. His time, he said.

The star shortstop doubled and singled twice, driving in two runs. His RBI single in the eighth inning padded the lead and as Altuve got congrats in the dugout after scoring, the Fox TV mics picked up someone on the bench yelling "It's time!"

Atlanta had been 7-0 at home in the postseason, and a boisterous crowd inside Truist Park and packed plaza outside came early hoping to celebrate a long-awaited championship.

Duvall's slam sent a dozen Atlanta players careening from the dugout, a full-out frenzy of hollering, twirling and dancing.

"We celebrated it. We got excited, and that's what you do when you hit home runs — but it's a long game. That happened in the bottom of the first. It's a nine-inning game, and they didn't quit. They kept fighting," Duvall said.

"We weren't able to get it going again and keep the pressure on, and that's hat's off to their pitchers. They kept us there when they needed to."

Indeed, any victory party was premature — even after Freddie Freeman's long homer put Atlanta ahead 5-4.

Instead, the Astros hushed those fans and Atlanta, pulling off a big comeback to stay afloat.

Now, the Astros need an even bigger one to win it all.

Game 6 is Tuesday night in Houston.

No team has clinched a World Series at home since the 2013 Red Sox. For Jose Altuve and the Astros to do it, they must win twice at Minute Maid Park — the last club to overcome a 3-1 Series deficit was the Cubs against Cleveland in 2016.

Down 4-0 after Duvall tagged Framber Valdez, the Astros began to chip away against Tucker Davidson.

WATCH | CBC Sports' Bring It In panel breaks down World Series matchup:

Dusty Baker leads Astros back to World Series | Bring It In

3 years ago

Duration 7:30

The Bring It In panel breaks down the World Series matchup between Houston and Atlanta, along with the historic trailblazing career of Astros Manager Dusty Baker.

Davidson wasn't even on the postseason roster a week ago. Relaxing at a hotel in the Atlanta suburbs, chowing down a takeout salad from The Cheesecake Factory, the rookie saw Game 1 starter Charlie Morton get hurt and joined Atlanta the next day in Houston.

It made for a cute story, but Houston was buying.

Bregman hit an RBI double that ended the Astros' rut with runners in scoring position and Maldonado — 4 for 41 in the postseason at that point — followed with a sacrifice fly that pulled them to 4-2.

Astros rally in 5th inning 

An error by shortstop Dansby Swanson helped Houston tie it in the third. Altuve reached on the misplay and Michael Brantley walked, ending Davidson's day. Correa greeted reliever Jesse Chavez with an RBI double and a run-scoring grounder by Yuli Gurriel made it 4-all.

Freeman untied it moments later, connecting for a 460-foot home run that matched the longest of his career.

Singles by Correa and Gurriel and a two-out intentional walk to Bregman loaded the bases in the fifth. Lefty reliever A.J. Minter lost Maldonado for a walk that tied it, and Gonzalez singled for the lead.

Maldonado added an RBI single in the seventh and Correa extended the lead the next inning.

Jose Urquidy pitched an inning for his second win of the season. Minter took the loss.

In a pinch

Houston became the first team to win Game 5 on the road when trailing 3-1 in the World Series since Atlanta in 1992.

The previous hit by a pinch-hitting pitcher in the Series came way back in 1923 by Jack Bentley of the New York Giants. Bentley had two of them against the Yankees in that matchup after batting .427 during the regular season.

Atlanta's Max Fried would be fully rested for Game 6. He was hit hard in Game 2, his second consecutive shaky start after an excellent season.

Houston's Jose Urquidy was in line for Game 6, but he pitched an inning in relief Sunday night and Baker said the Astros would likely go with rookie Luis Garcia on three days' rest.