ATLANTA -- Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker knows that seven runners stranded by his team in Game 4 of the World Series were going to come back to haunt him.
After Houston was shut out, Houston managed only two runs the next day. They are now in a 3-1 series loss and one win away from losing their second World Series in three seasons.
After Saturday's 3-2 loss to Atlanta Braves, Baker said that "we usually pick those runners up." "We left quite some runners on base."
They actually left 11 runners on base and have been hitless in 17 of their last 17 attempts with men in scoring positions, dating back to Game 2. Alex Bregman, third baseman, is the biggest culprit. He has been a rally killer for the Astros. He is just 1 for 14 in the World Series,.071 in the World Series. He struck out in the first inning against Dylan Lee, a shaky Braves starter. There were two runners on base.
Houston only managed one run after loading the bases with one out.
Baker stated, "We had them on the ropes for the first inning and came out with one."
Baker said he might have to tweak the lineup in desperate times on Sunday. He suggested that he might move Bregman from No. 3. Carlos Correa, shortstop, was asked if he had any advice for his struggling teammate.
Correa stated, "There's nothing that I need to say him." He's working hard every day to be the best he can out there. He hit four more times today, I saw. He's trying to fix it. He is trying to fix it. The same goes for me. I put in the effort. I was able to hit the cage three times."
Correa's series average is.143, while ALCS MVP Yordan Avarez is.091. The Astros seem out of sync due to the lower game temperatures in Atlanta, inability to practice outside batting, and the loss to the designated hitter for three of the games.
They have not been able to score more than five runs in their last two playoff games, despite scoring at least five runs in each of their 12 first-round playoff games.
Jose Altuve, second baseman, said that they aren't giving us many pitches to hit. "We're working hard as hitters. "We have a great lineup, we know. But sometimes, you have to give credit to other teams as well."
The Astros were not the only team to give Lee an opening. Lee had never pitched in a major league game before Saturday. After Lee's first inning collapse, the Braves elected to go to righty Kyle Wright, who threw six innings in total this season. Houston was allowed to take the game, but they failed.
Baker allowed Zack Greinke to hit for himself, with bases loaded and two outs. Baker allowed the veteran to hit again after he singled in his first at bat. He grounded out.
Baker said that Greinke "swung the bat very well." "He got the pitch he was looking at, and we needed to stretch Greinke out a bit because Greinke has been going to that bullpen every day like super early.
"You can second-guess as many times you like, but that was my decision. Before that, we had some runners out there."
Baker was able to be happy about the move, as Greinke provided two more clean innings. It was Baker's best outing in months, after he had thrown very few innings due to injury and inactivity in the postseason. He lasted four innings and did not give up a run.
Greinke stated, "It felt better that it had in a while." "Tough game, however."
The Astros led 2-0 after stranding all the runners. However, it was the sixth inning that saw the Braves mount their comeback. Back-to-back home runs by Cristian Javier, ace reliever, in the seventh was a major breaker. These were his first runs of the postseason.
Baker stated that "none of these guys is perfect." Baker said, "They could have popped their balls up, but that didn't happen." These things happen. This is why you play the game. There is no way to be perfect. It can happen to even the most talented of people."
The Astros have been there before. The Astros lost 3-0 to Tampa Bay Rays last year's ALCS, before winning seven games. They also won three consecutive ALCS games to advance this year. They were down only 2-1 in this series' last round. Their backs are against the wall now.
Baker stated, "You can lean on the past." Baker said, "We were down by 3-0 last year. You lean on that and the other series they've comeback on. There is no other choice than that.
Altuve responded to a question about how players were handling the situation. It does apply here, if it were ever to be applied to a situation.
He said, "If we win tomorrow [Sunday], then we can try to win Game 6, and see what happens." "But we have to be focused on one game and that is tomorrow.
