2021 World Series: Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros

The 117th fall classic, or better known as the Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series just finished up. The matchup consisted of the winner of the National League Championship Series (NLCS), Atlanta Braves, and the winner of the American League Championship series (ALCS), Houston Astros.

​According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Braves and Astros have played in over 700 games head-to-head. The Houston Astros were in the National League (NL) until 2013, making the Braves a regular opponent.

Since the Astros transition to the American League (AL) in 2013, the teams last played each other in 2017 for a two-game series in Houston where the Astros won both games, according to CBS sports.

​This was the first time the two teams faced off in the World Series. They have matched up in the National League Division Series (NLDS) on five occasions, with the Braves getting the nod of three series wins over the Astros two, according to the Atlanta Post Journal.

In the ALCS, the Astros took the Boston Red Sox to six games en route to the World Series where they scored 25 runs in the last three games of the series, according to baseball-reference.com.

​“In game 4, a bad call in the ninth killed the Sox’s momentum,” said Sacred Heart alumnus Jordan Banks. “The Astros hit, pitched, and stepped up defensively and proved why they deserve to be in the World Series.”

​The Atlanta Braves beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS 4 games to 2. The Dodgers came off a 106-win season while the NL East champion Braves were just short of a 90-win season on their way to the playoffs, according to CBS Sports.

​“The run the Braves are on right now, it would be the perfect end to the playoff story for them,” said senior Joseph Lepore. “Most people thought it would be Los Angeles or San Francisco winning the NL, but I think the Braves take it all with the way they’re playing right now.”

​Game one of the World Series was played on Tuesday, Oct. 26 at Minute Maid Park in Houston. The Braves won the game 6-2.

​Sophomore Michael Giardina said, “With the Braves playing as a team, feeding off one another’s energy I don’t see them being stopped.”

The Astros would take game two in Atlanta, but the Braves would win two straight close games in Houston heading into game five. With the pressure on, the Astros offense put together nine runs and brought the series to 3-2 Atlanta.

“I think the Astros are going to win because the way their team clicked going into the World Series was insane, despite lacking a few of their best pitchers,” said Banks.

On Nov. 2, the Atlanta Braves became the world champions of baseball for the fourth time in franchise history after Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson fielded a ground ball in the final out of game six.

This article was edited on Nov. 2 2021

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