Show only key events Please enable JavaScript to use this feature Astros 0-0 Phillies, midway through second period The Astros’ Kyle Tucker, who walked in his first two at-bats in this World Series back in Game 1, trailed 0-2 before ripping a curveball into the right alley for a double. Gurriel jumps on first pitch, lands on third base. Bohm makes the play but Tucker reaches third. The lone significant pocket of Houston fans, mostly concentrated in the second deck of the left-field bleachers, comes alive with cheers of “Let’s go Ast-ros!” … eliciting heated boos from the surrounding Phillies fans. Vazquez is hit by a pitch, giving Astros runners on first and third with one out. Down 1-2, Diaz barely fouls off the knuckle curve to extend the at-bat, but swings and misses a big cutter for the second out. It belongs to McCormick, who grew up in nearby West Chester. He works the count to 2-2 before swinging and missing on a knuckle curve. Nola gets out of trouble in the second, working around a leadoff double to keep the Astros scoreless in the Philadelphia leg of their World Series trip. Astros 0-0 Phillies, end of first game And here comes the Phillies’ leadoff hitter, National League home run champion Kyle Schwarber, to loud cheers from the crowd. Schwarber falls behind 1-2 before flying out to left field. Hoskins works the whole thing, getting the crowd buzzing. But the first baseman gets under a fastball and flies to shortstop Pena. Realmuto trailed 1-2 before hitting an 81 mph slider. A good time to share that Hoskins’ wife, Jayme, bought 100 beers for Phillies fans before tonight’s game. Jayme Hoskins, front, wife of Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins, poses with fans after paying for about 100 beers. Photo: Daniel Gelston/AP Updated at 00:36 GMT Astros 0-0 Phillies, middle of first game Aaron Nola takes the mound for his second start of this World Series. The game temperature is a pleasant 62F (17C). The first pitch to Altuve is a strike, drawing a big roar from the crowd. Chants of “Cheat-er! Thief!” cascaded from the stands, a nod to the plate-stealing scandal in Houston that marked its first and only World Series title in 2017. Altuve, who has struggled badly this season, goes 1-2 before flying to center. Pena, the ALCS MVP, falls behind 0-2 amid loud chants of “Let’s Go Friends!” and then runs out on a breaking ball. Two down on nine pitches for Nola, eight of them strikes. Good start. Alvarez, Houston’s dangerous power hitter in the DH slot tonight, takes a 2-2 count before lining a fastball to left field for a base hit for a single. Bregman, the 2019 American League MVP (and, interestingly, Aaron Nola’s college roommate at LSU), falls behind 1-2 … and then goes soft on second baseman Jean Segura. Phillies starter Aaron Nola delivers a pitch during the first inning. Photo: Bill Streicher/USA Today Sports Updated at 00:18 GMT We’re getting close to game time in South Philly. The starting lineups were announced, with each Astros player’s name eliciting thunderous cheers from the sellout crowd. Also on American Idol, Madison Watkins performed the national anthem. Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley, two of the heroes from Philadelphia’s most recent World Series championship team in 2008, threw out the ceremonial first pitches along with Charlie Manuel, that club’s manager. We didn’t think this park could get any louder than last night, but early indications are that anything is possible… Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley throw out the ceremonial first pitches before Wednesday’s Game 4 as Charlie Manuel looks on. Photo: Justin Lane/EPA Updated at 00:16 GMT See what history has to say about the lead role of the series Philadelphia. Of the 93 previous times a World Series has been 2-1 after three games, the team with the lead has captured the title exactly two-thirds of the time (62 of 93), including the last five times (the 2021 Braves, 2020 Dodgers, 2019 Nationals, 2018 Red Sox, 2017 Astros) and 11 of the last 14. The most recent clubs to win it all after going 2-1 are the 2016 Cubs, 2014 Giants, 2013 Red Sox and 2013 . If the Phillies win tonight? Their chances, at least historically, range from 66.7% to 84.8%. A total of 39 of the previous 46 clubs that have gone 3-1 up have all won, including 12 of the last 13. The only seven teams to win the World Series three games to one are the 2016 Cubs, 1985 Royals, 1979 Pirates, 1968 Tigers, 1958 Yankees, 1925 Pirates and the 1903 Boston Americans (who won Game 5 to 8 back when the series was a best-of-nine affair). Lending to the intrigue: the Astros are sending potential AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander to the mound for Thursday’s Game 5, while the Phillies have tagged Noah Syndergaard to open an expected bullpen game. This is a matchup that, at least on paper, favors Houston in some ways. Essentially, that’s a lot to say that Game 4, which is set to start in about 20 minutes, is crucial for both the Astros and the Phillies.
The compositions!
Check out tonight’s lineups. No surprises on either side, as Houston’s Dusty Baker and Philadelphia’s Rob Thomson go with their regular nines when facing right-handed positions.
Houston
Altuve, 2BPena, SSAlvarez, DHBregman, 3BTucker, RFGurriel, RFVazquez, CDiaz, LFMcCormick, CF
Philadelphia
Schwarber, LFHoskins, 1BRealmuto, CHarper, DHCastellanos, RFBohm, 3BStott, SSSegura, 2BMarsh, CF Astros manager Dusty Baker gestures during batting practice before Game 4 of the World Series on Wednesday in Philadelphia. Photo: Chris Szagola/AP
Prelude
Hello and welcome to tonight’s Game 4 of the World Series between the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies have a two-to-one lead in the best-of-seven game after snapping a record five-game hitting streak at 7-0 on Tuesday night in the American League Champions at Citizens Bank Park, where they improved to a perfect six wins from six in this year’s postseason. If the Fightin’ Phils carry that home advantage into tonight’s Game 4 and tomorrow’s Game 5 – a deafening atmosphere that right fielder Nick Castellanos likened to a Liverpool game at Anfield – the Phillies can close out the series before their eyes . frustrated home fans and coming off a trip back to Houston. The Phillies will send ace right-hander Aaron Nola (2-1, 4.57 ERA in postseason), their longest hitter, to the mound for his second straight start after an uneven performance in Game 1 when he was tagged for five runs in four and a third innings. The Astros will start right-hander Cristian Javier (1-0, 1.35 ERA), who has been a reliable weapon for Houston during their stint with four American League pennants over the past six years, posting a 3-1 record with a 2.70 ERA in 13 career postseason games. First pitch is scheduled for 20:03 local time, about 45 minutes from now. Many more will follow between now and then. Fans line up outside Citizens Bank Park ahead of Wednesday’s Game 4 of the World Series. Photo: Matt Rourke/AP Brian will be here soon. In the meantime, here’s his coverage of Tuesday night’s Game 3, where the Phillies used an early power surge to close in on their third World Series title and first since 2008.
