THE Atlanta Braves overcame a season full of setbacks to win the World Series for the first time since 1995 after a 7-0 victory over the Houston Astros in Tuesday’s (Wednesday in Manila) Game 6 sealed the championship 4-2.
The Braves’ run through the postseason included series victories over the Milwaukee Brewers and defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers before beating the favored Astros in the best-of-seven ‘Fall Classic’.
It marked the second World Series title for the Braves since the team moved to Atlanta from Milwaukee in 1966 and denied the Astros a second championship in five years.
First baseman Freddie Freeman, who has been with the Braves since 2007, said the team had come through so much this season.
“This team hit every pothole and bump you could possibly hit this year,” Freeman said.
“Everything that could go wrong, went wrong, and we overcame every single one of those things. We came in every single day and prepared and worked and ended up world champions.”
The Braves had lost pitcher Mike Soroka for the season due to an Achilles injury, outfielder Ronald Acuna in July to a torn anterior cruciate ligament, and starter Charlie Morton a week ago when his leg was broken by a comebacker in Game 1.
Outfielder Marcell Ozuna was placed on administrative leave by Major League Baseball after being arrested in May for allegedly assaulting his wife.
The club rebuilt ahead of July’s trade deadline with the acquisitions of Jorge Soler, Adam Duvall, Eddie Rosario and Joc Pederson and they found their stride down the stretch.
The Braves struck in the third inning when Soler crushed a breaking ball from Luis Garcia 446 feet and out of Minute Maid Park for a 3-0 lead that stunned the Houston crowd.
The 29-year-old slugger dropped his bat, thumped his chest, and pointed to the Braves dugout before setting out to round the bases.
Soler, who hit three home runs and had six RBIs in the series, was named the Most Valuable Player after the game.
Dansby Swanson extended the Braves’ lead in the top of the fifth with a two-run shot to left field and Freeman tacked on another with an RBI double off the left field fence that put the Braves up 6-0.
