Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (2-3) vs HOUSTON ASTROS (3-2)
Saturday, November 5, 2022 – 8:03 p.m. EDT – Minute Maid Park
World Series Game 6 – FOX
RHP Zack Wheeler (1-2, 2.67 ERA) vs. LHP Framber Valdez (2-0, 1.42 ERA)

It is do-or-die time in the World Series with the Houston Astros just one win away from securing their second championship in the past six years, while the Phillies will be looking to force a Game 7 as they chase their first ring since 2008. The best-of-seven series shifts back to Houston but it is worth noting that Minute Maid Park has hardly been a place of home comforts at this stage of the postseason. In four World Series appearances dating back to 2017, the Astros are 4-8 at home. Both the 2019 Washington Nationals and the 2021 Atlanta Braves clinched the championship in Houston’s own backyard.

However, the Astros will now have two shots to get the job done on their own turf after putting together consecutive wins. Following a combined no-hitter in Game 4, Houston edged a close one in a 3-2 win in Philadelphia in Game 5 on Thursday thanks to another big night from Jeremy Peña. The rookie shortstop had an RBI single in the first inning before blasting a solo homer in the fourth, becoming the first rookie to homer in a World Series game as a shortstop. He also made a stunning play with his glove in the bottom of the third.

Veteran pitcher Justin Verlander gave up just one earned run on four hits with six strikeouts in five innings, while Ryan Pressly came out of the bullpen to seal the win for the Astros thanks to an incredible leaping catch at the wall by Chas McCormick. For the Phillies, Noah Syndergaard, making his first World Series start since 2015, gave up two earned runs and a homer on three hits in three innings pitched.

So now it comes down to this. The Astros will hope to become the first team since the 2013 Boston Red Sox to clinch the World Series on home soil, and they will be leaning on Framber Valdez tonight who has been excellent this postseason. The lefty boasts a stellar 1.42 ERA in four playoff games, and he struck out nine and gave up just one run on four hits in Houston’s Game 2 win over the Phillies on Saturday. Houston will be without Yuli Gurriel for Game 6, and Game 7 if there is one, after the first baseman suffered a knee injury on Thursday.

Former Met Zack Wheeler will start Game Six for Philadelphia on six days of rest, and the righty struggled in Game 2 having seen his velocity drop to 95.2 mph. Suffering from arm fatigue, the Phillies’ hopes of forcing a Game 7 could depend on whether or not Wheeler is able to rediscover some of his stuff and give his team at least five solid innings. If he can, then maybe we will get one more day of postseason baseball. However, the Phillies will also need their offense to wake up after leaving 12 runners on base on Thursday.

Lineups 

Philadelphia Phillies 

  1. Kyle Schwarber (LF)
  2. Rhys Hoskins (1B)
  3. J.T. Realmuto (C)
  4. Bryce Harper (DH)
  5. Nick Castellanos (RF)
  6. Alec Bohm (3B)
  7. Jean Segura (2B)
  8. Matt Vierling (CF)
  9. Edmundo Sosa (SS)

Houston Astros 

  1. Jose Altuve (2B)
  2. Jeremy Peña (SS)
  3. Yordan Alvarez (LF)
  4. Alex Bregman (3B)
  5. Kyle Tucker (RF)
  6. Christian Vázquez (DH)
  7. Trey Mancini (1B)
  8. Chas McCormick (CF)
  9. Martín Maldonado (C)

One last thing. Based on the current 2-3-2 format in the postseason and with the series tied 2-2, teams winning Game 5 on the road before going back home for Games 6 and 7 have got the job done 19 of 24 times (79%), so that’s a good omen for the Astros. However, the Phillies will be looking to draw inspiration from the Nationals who won Games 6 and 7 on the road in Houston to win the World Series in 2019. The stage is set for a big night either way.