The Atlanta Braves have won their first World Series championship since 1995, hammering the Houston Astros 7-0 in Game 6.
Jorge Soler hit his third home run of the Series, a go-ahead three-run drive in the third off Luis Garcia, and Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson also connected.
Max Fried, who suffered a nasty ankle injury in the first inning, allowed four hits over six innings for the win.
Fried today became the first pitcher since Bret Saberhagen in 1985 with 6 scoreless IP and 0 walks in a World Series clincher.
Steadied by 66-year-old manager Brian Snitker, an organisation man for four decades, the underdog Braves won the franchise’s fourth title, about nine-and-a-half months after Hall of Fame slugger Hank Aaron died on January 22 at 86.
The loss left Houston’s 72-year-old Dusty Baker still seeking his first title as a manager.
Freeman hit an RBI double and then punctuated the romp with a solo home run in the seventh that made it 7-0.
By then, it was a total team effort. Ailing star Ronald Acuna Jr., the dynamo of Atlanta’s future, bounded from the dugout to join the celebration for Freeman, the longtime face of the franchise.
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With today’s game played out at Houston’s Minute Maid Park, it was a tough night for many fans when, during the sixth inning, the World Series appeared out of reach for the Astros, who trailed by six runs.
For many, it was too much as fans left early.
Those in attendance captured the moment of misery.
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The Braves finished 88-73 for the 12th-best record in the majors and fewest victories among playoff teams; their win total was the lowest for a World Series champion since St. Louis’ 83 in 2006.
Add that to the agonising history of sports in Atlanta, a city where no team had won a title in the four major pro sports besides 1995, and victory was sweet.
The Braves couldn’t convert a three games-to-one advantage over the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series last year. The Hawks fell short in the NBA Finals last season. And then there was the big one, the Falcons blowing a 28-3 lead to the Patriots in the Super Bowl.
But these Braves, not this time.