Ian Anderson logged five no-hit innings, and the Braves defeated the Astros 2-0 in Game 3 of the World Series at Truist Park on Friday. It was the Braves’ first World Series win at home since Oct. 28, 1995, when they closed out the Indians for their only championship in Atlanta.
Here are five takeaways from Friday:
1. Manager Brian Snitker opened himself to criticism when he removed Anderson, who threw 76 pitches over five no-hit innings. With the top of the Astros’ lineup looming, Snitker lifted Anderson for lefty A.J. Minter.
The manager explains: “He wasn’t going to pitch a nine-inning no-hitter. I said, ‘Ian, I’ll be honest with you.’ One of the things was he was throwing a lot of pitches in the top half of that lineup, getting ready to go back out when he did. I thought the fourth inning he really had to work to get through that. He had a really good fifth inning. And then I told him because he was like, ‘Are you sure? Are you sure?’ But I was just like, ‘Ian, I’m going with my gut right here. Just my eyes, my gut.’
Despite the bottom-line result, Anderson wasn’t dominant. He threw only 39 strikes of his 76 pitches. He issued four walks and hit a batter. Astros manager Dusty Baker called him “effectively wild.” The question wasn’t whether Anderson could’ve gone the distance; it was whether Snitker could’ve spared his bullpen one more inning with two reliever-reliant contests ahead.
“It could have backfired, I guess,” Snitker said. “I just thought at that point in time, in a game of this magnitude and all, that he had done his job. And we had a bullpen that all the guys we use had two days off, and they were only going to pitch an inning apiece, and that made them available for the next two games after it went south.”
2. Anderson tied the Braves’ longest no-hit bid in their World Series history, equaling Tom Glavine’s effort in Game 6 of the 1995 Series. Anderson is the first rookie to cover five no-hit innings since 1912.
“I think kind of the way the playoffs have been played and managed, you can’t fault Snit for making that move,” Anderson said. “Like I said, those (relievers) post every time, so you’ve got to have the utmost trust in them. Ultimately, those are the guys that are going to get this thing done.”
In eight postseason outings, Anderson has held the opposition scoreless five times. Even when he’s lacked his best stuff, he’s been effective. Anderson hasn’t surrendered more than two runs in any playoff start.
Credit: Curtis Compton
Credit: Curtis Compton
3. After Minter and Luke Jackson pitched scoreless innings, the Braves lost their no-hitter at the beginning of the eighth when Aledmys Diaz dropped a ball just in front of left fielder Eddie Rosario and behind retreating shortstop Dansby Swanson.
“I started charging it hard right away, and I noticed Dansby was charging hard as well, and he had his back to the ball,” Rosario said via team interpreter Franco Garcia. “Obviously, we’re both trying to make a play on the ball. When I knew I had a beat on it, I was trying to say, ‘I got it, I got it.’ I knew Dansby couldn’t hear me, so at the last minute, knowing we couldn’t communicate, I wanted to make sure I avoided any collision between the two of us. So I just kind of eased up on it right there.”
Diaz’s hit came off lefty Tyler Matzek, who responded by retiring the next three Astros and leaving pinch-runner Jose Siri stranded at third. Matzek noted Minter and Jackson weren’t aware of the no-hitter when they pitched.
“After I got done with my inning, they said, “Did you know you gave up the first hit?’ Matzek said. “Yeah, I did know. I paid attention. Like, oh, we just wanted to come in and get outs. So our job stays the same. Go out and get the three outs you’re assigned, get off the field, and let the next guy come in and do his job.”
The Braves settled for the 18th two-hit shutout in World Series history. The last team to achieve such was the Giants in Game 2 in 2012.
4. Third baseman Austin Riley produced the Braves’ first run with a third-inning double. It was Riley’s third double in his last four games. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud added insurance with a solo homer off Kendall Graveman in the eighth. D’Arnaud has used teammate Joc Pederson’s bat for both his homers in the past two games.
“I’m going to keep using it, that’s for sure,” he said. “I picked it up, and I said, ‘Joc, this feels pretty good.’ He said, ‘It’s yours, big guy.’ I said, ‘All right, I’m going to use it.’ I’m going to keep using it.”
5. The Braves are 6-0 at home this postseason and have won 11 of their past 12 contests at Truist Park. The sold-out crowd of 42,898 made itself heard, as it has throughout this postseason run. It’s the second-longest postseason home winning streak in franchise history, trailing eight consecutive wins across the 1995-96 runs.
“The atmosphere was unbelievable, even with the conditions with the weather, (the fans) still brought it,” Riley said. “You could feel them. It was great. There’s still some unfinished business. Hopefully, I know they’ll bring it tomorrow and get back after it.”
Stat to know
9,498 (Friday marked the Braves’ first World Series win at home since Oct. 28, 1995, when Tom Glavine stifled the Indians and the Braves won Game 6 to clinch their only championship in Atlanta. That was 9,498 days ago.)
Quotable
“My pitching staff is full of studs.” – d’Arnaud
No. 44
The Braves showed a tribute video for MLB icon Hank Aaron before the game. Aaron’s family was on hand, including his wife Billye. Hank Jr. threw out the first pitch.
Up next
The Braves will try to take a commanding 3-1 lead with a victory Saturday night in Game 4. They’ll use an opener to lead off a bullpen game. Veteran Zack Greinke will start for the Astros.
