World Series: Soler, Swanson, Freeman hit home runs, Braves win the World Series

HOUSTON — For the first time in almost three decades, the Braves are the World Series champions.

Atlanta defeated the American League champion Houston Astros with a 7-0 shutout in Houston Tuesday night.

Here is how the game unfolded.

Bottom 9th inning, 7-0 Braves

It’s over. The Atlanta Braves are World Series champs

Top 9th inning, 7-0 Braves

The Braves didn’t score any more runs, but the Braves are three outs away from winning the World Series!

Bottom 8th inning, 7-0 Braves

Tyler Matzek struck out the side.

Top 8th inning, 7-0 Braves

The Braves go three up, three down.

Bottom 7th inning, 7-0 Braves

Tyler Matzek came in to pitch the seventh inning for the Braves. He gave up a hit before retiring the next three batters.

Top 7th inning, 7-0 Braves

Freddie Freeman hit a home run to extend Atlanta’s lead.

Bottom 6th inning, 6-0 Braves

Max Fried finished off his night with 1 hit in the inning. Fried pitched six innings, gave up four hits, stuck out six and didn’t give up any runs.

Top 6th inning, 6-0 Braves

The Braves got two hits, but left both on base.

Bottom 5th inning, 6-0 Braves

Max Fried struck out two and got a fly out in the inning.

Top 5th inning, 6-0 Braves

Ozzie Albies walked and Dansby Swanson hit a two-run home run to give the Braves a 5-0 lead.

Freddie Freeman hit a double off the wall to score Soler and make it 6-0.

Bottom 4th inning, 3-0 Braves

The Astros went three up, three down.

Top 4th inning, 3-0 Braves

The Braves went three up, three down.

Bottom 3rd inning, 3-0 Braves

Martin Maldonado led the inning off with a single, but Fried got a fly out and double play to end it.

Top 3rd inning, 3-0 Braves

Ozzie Albies got the Braves going with a single to start the inning. With two outs, Rosario walked and Jorge Soler hit a three-run bomb to give the Braves a 3-0 lead.

Bottom 2nd inning, 0-0

Like the Braves in the top half of the inning, the Astros went three up, three down.

Top 2nd inning

Three up, three down for the Braves.

Bottom 1st inning, 0-0

Disaster averted!

Jose Altuve led off the inning with an infield hit. Michael Brantley put a ball in play that Freddie Freeman fielded. Pitcher Max Fried attempted to cover first base on the play, but instead of stepping on the base, his foot came up short and Brantley stepped on his ankle. Brantley was ruled safe even though it appeared Brantley never touched the base.

With two on and no one out, Fried got two strikeouts and a ground out to end the threat.

Top 1st inning

Eddie Rosario led off the game with a shot to right field, but Kyle Tucker made a diving catch to save what looked like a double. Luis Garcia struck out Jorge Soler and Freddie Freeman to end the top half of the inning.

Watch LIVE Team 2 Coverage throughout the day on Channel 2 Action News for the latest interviews and analysis.

Here is a game preview of what to expect Tuesday night.

Matchup: The Atlanta Braves travel to Minute Maid Park for Game 6 against the Houston Astros. The Braves lead the series, 3-2.

Tickets: Standing room only tickets on the secondary market are going for $340. Outfield deck seats are starting at $390. Back in Atlanta, the Braves are hosting a watch party with the game on the jumbotron inside Truist Park. Tickets are $10.

Starting Pitchers: LHP Max Fried (1-2, 3.10 era, 158 Ks postseason) vs RHP Luis Garcia (1-2, 3.25 ERA, 167 Ks this postseason)

Fried went 14-7 with a 3.04 during the regular season and won his first postseason starts in the NLDS and the NLCS. But the southpaw looked shaky against the Dodgers the second time around and once again in Game 2 against the Astros.

Fried eventually settled down after his rough start and retired 10 batters but allowed seven hits and six runs over five innings.

“Any time that you go out there and you don’t perform the way that you want, you don’t win, you want to go back out there and redeem yourself,” Fried said. “It’s probably going to be my last outing of the year, so there’s nothing to hold back.”

While Sunday’s game was designated as a bullpen game, the Braves’ top relievers -- with the exception of A.J. Minter -- did not pitch in Game 5 and are rested. Tyler Matzek, Luke Jackson and Will Smith will all be called upon depending on how far Fried gets in the game.

Garcia, a likely candidate for AL Rookie of the Year, will start on three days rest for the Astros. The right-hander pitched into the fourth inning of the Braves’ Game 3 Friday night.

He allowed one run, three hits, walked four and stuck out six.

Key Storyline:

Everyone wants to talk about the curse of Atlanta sports teams. It’s certainly on the fans’ minds after the team couldn’t close out the World Series at home Sunday.

But Snitker and the players are feeling confident and they aren’t feeling the pressure.

“We all want to finish this off, but there’s no pressure. We’re one of two teams remaining in our sport, and there’s no -- I don’t know that these guys have -- I’ve sensed any kind of pressure out of these guys internally,” Snitker said.

Fans say World Series crowd at Truist Park was unlike anything they’ve ever seen Fans told Channel 2′s Tom Jones that the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds left fans waiting hours for food and some relieving themselves outside.

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