#26. 2019 AL Champion Houston Astros v. #122. 1999 NL Champion Atlanta Braves
6 teams have advanced to the Elite 8:
1977 Yankees
2017 Dodgers
1909 Cubs
1970 Orioles
1998 Yankees
1969 Orioles
Two spots remain.
This Regional Semi Final features two pennant winners who lost the WS, both teams has cores that won the WS, but not this season. This is the last team standing for both franchises.
Astros 107-57 (Pythag 107-55) Mgr AJ Hinch (5th AL MoY)
1st in AL West
d. Rays 3-2 in ALDS
d. Yankees 4-2 in ALCS (MVP-Jose Altuve)
lost to Nationals 4-3 in World Series
d. #103 1948 Yankees 2-0 (MVP-Michael Brantley)
d. #90 1949 Red Sox 3-0 (MVP-Yuli Gurriel)
All-Stars: OF Michael Brantley, 3B Alex Bregman (2nd AL MVP) SP Gerrit Cole (2nd AL Cy Young) RP Ryan Pressly, OF George Springer, SP Justin Verlander (AL Cy Young)
Third straight 100 win season, best record in MLB. Everyone fired in offseason for sign stealing. First team ever to both lead in most pitching Ks and fewest hitting Ks.
Braves 103-59 (Pythag 98-64) Mgr. Bobby Cox (2nd NL MoY)
1st in NL East
d. Astros 3-1 in NLDS
d. Mets 4-2 in NLCS (Eddie Perez)
lost to Yankees 4-0 in World Series
d. #7 1909 Pirates 2-1 (MVP-John Smoltz/Kevin Millwood)
d. #71 2009 Yankees 3-0 (MVP-Brian Jordan/Brian Hunter)
All-Stars OF Brian Jordan, SP Kevin Millwood, (3rd NL Cy Young)
Hall of Fame: Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones (NL MVP) Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Bobby Cox
5th pennant of the decade for the Braves, to date, the last one they won.
Braves-Bobby Cox
3B Jones (27) (SH) 169 6.4
1B Klesko (28) (LH) 128 1.2
C Lopez (28) 128 2
DH Simon (24) (LH) 109 .2
CF Jones (22) 114 7.4
RF Jordan (32) 104 2.5
LF Williams (32) 99 1.3
2B Lockhart (34) (LH) 67 .3
SS Weiss (35) (SH) 63
P Millwood (24) 167 6.5
Bench
DH Hunter (31) 101
2B Boone (30) 83 1.3
SS Hernandez (29) 71 .3
SS Guillen (35) (LH) 54
LF Nixon (40) (LH) 41
C Perez (31) 70
SP2 Maddux (33) 126 5.6
SP3 Smoltz (32) 141 6.2
Platoons at DH, 2nd, Short for the Braves. Glavine, is the 4th starter.
Astros-AJ Hinch
CF Springer (29) 150 6.5
DH Alvarez (22) (LH) 173 3.8
3B Bregman (25) 162 9.2
SS Correa (24) 137 3.3
2B Altuve (29) 131 3.7
LF Brantley (32) (LH) 126 3.9
1B Gurriel (35) 126 3.8
C Chirinos (35) 105 2.8
RF Reddick (32) (LH) 89 1.6
SP1 Cole (28) 185 7.5
Bench
CF Marisnick (28) 80 1.4
1B White (28) 72
3B Diaz (28) 114
2B Kemp (27) (LH) 88
SS Straw (24) 92
P Verlander (36) 179 7.6
SP3 Miley (32) (LH) 116 1.6
Reddick plays against RH, Marisnick sits, Springer moves to center. Theoretically Alvarez could play left in Boston if Houston just had to have his bat in the lineup. Greinke is eligible to start once we move to 7 game series.
Lineups:
C-Chrionis
1B-Gurriel
2B-Altuve
SS-Correa
3B-Bregman
LF-Brantley
CF-Jones
RF-Jordan
DH-Alvarez
SP1-Cole
SP2-Verlander
SP3-Smoltz
Pen-Push
WAR: Astros 9 Braves 3 -- Astros really dominate here, much better lineup and match up favorably in SP as well. Bregman's the best player in the series. Astros have much better seed; they are heavy favorites.
GAME ONE
1st: Minute Maid Park is the site for the start of the Region 7 Semi-Finals. 28 year old RH Gerrit Cole gets the ball for Game 1 of this best of 5. 20-5, 2.50. This is Cole's second season in Houston after 5 with the Pirates. He was 2nd in the AL Cy Young, the third top 5 finish of his career to that date. He led the league in ERA and FIP, led all of MLB in K, K/9, ERA+. He finished 10th in the AL MVP this season. Chipper Jones draws a walk to start the series. Cole gets the next 3.
1st: Kevin Millwood was co-MVP of the Braves round one win; 24 year old RH, 18-7, 2.68. This is Millwood's 3 year in the league, its the best season he'll ever have in what will be a 16 year career. It's his only All Star selection, 3rd in the Cy Young, led all of MLB in H/9 and the NL in WHIP. 1-2-3
2nd: Brian Jordan singles with one out. Like Millwood, this is the only All Star appearance he'll ever have in a long career. Jordan's 32, in his first season in Atlanta after 7 in St Louis. That's all.
2nd: Carlos Correa homers to left. Just 24, this is already Correa's 5th season in the league. Millwood gets the next 3. Braves 0 Astros 1
3rd: 1-2-3
3rd: George Springer doubles with 2 out. Springer's 29, in his 6th season. He made his 3rd straight All Star team this year and was 7th in the MVP, to date, his only top 10 finish. That's all.
4th: 1-2-3, 8 straight for Cole
4th: 1-2-3
5th: After one out, Jordan doubles. Cole gets the second -- and then walks Keith Lockhart and Walt Weiss back to back. But he escapes. Lockhart's 34, Weiss is 35 and they are both platooning in the middle of the Braves IF. Lockhart's in his 3rd Atlanta season after a season in San Diego and two in Kansas City. Weiss is in his second Braves campaign following 6 in Oakland, a brief stop in Florida, and 4 with the Rockies. Last year he made the All Star team for the only time in his career.
5th: Michael Brantley singles. Brantley's 32, in his first year in Houston after a decade in Cleveland. He made his 4th All Star team this year. Millwood gets two and then Josh Reddick singles. That's it.
6th: Ryan Klesko doubles. The Braves first baseman is 28, in his 8th and final season with the club. Cole gets one - then Randall Simon singles. But Cole preserves the shutout.
6th: Alex Bregman walks with one out. The Astros third baseman is 25, in his 4th season, he was an All Star for the second consecutive season, led all MLB in walks and finished second in the AL MVP. An out later Jose Altuve singles him home and it's Braves 0 Astros 2
7th: AJ Hinch turns the game over to his pen; Will Harris gets the ball, 34 year old RH, 1.50 ERA. 1-2-3
7th: 1-2-3
8th: Chipper singles. That's it.
8th: 1-2-3, 7 straight for Millwood, but he's on the wrong end of this pitcher's duel today.
9th: The Astros turn toward the closer, Roberto Osuna, 24 year old RH, 38 saves, 2.63.
Osuna strikes out Jordan.
Gerald Williams grounds to short.
Osuna stikes out Lockhart and it's over.
So - both teams are held to 5 hits, but one of those hits for Houston is the Correa homer and that's all they need today.
Braves 0
Astros 2
WP Cole
LP Millwood
Sv Osuna
Springer 1x/double
Bregman 2x
Correa 1x/HR
Altuve 1x
Reddick 1x
Brantley 1x
CJones 2x
Klesko 1x/double
Simon 1x
Jordan 2x/double
Lockhart 1x
Weiss 1x
3B Jones (27) (SH) 169 6.4
1B Klesko (28) (LH) 128 1.2
C Lopez (28) 128 2
DH Simon (24) (LH) 109 .2
CF Jones (22) 114 7.4
RF Jordan (32) 104 2.5
2B Lockhart (34) (LH) 67 .3
SS Guillen (35) (LH) 54
LF Nixon (40) (LH) 41
SP2 Maddux (33) 126 5.6
CF Springer (29) 150 6.5
DH Alvarez (22) (LH) 173 3.8
3B Bregman (25) 162 9.2
SS Correa (24) 137 3.3
2B Altuve (29) 131 3.7
LF Brantley (32) (LH) 126 3.9
1B Gurriel (35) 126 3.8
C Chirinos (35) 105 2.8
RF Reddick (32) (LH) 89 1.6
P Verlander (36) 179 7.6
GAME TWO
1st: Would you like to see two Hall of Famers going at it in game 2? Is that the sort of thing that appeals to you? 36 year old RH Justin Verlander takes the ball for the Astros. 21-6, 2.58. It's Verlander's 3rd season in Houston after 13 in Detroit. Verlander won his second Cy Young this year. Led all MLB in wins, WHIP, H/9 and led the league in K/BB. He gets 2 - then Javier Lopez homers to left center - the Braves didn't score in game one and they're up 1 in the first today. Braves 1 Astros 0
1st: Verlander's opponent is Greg Maddux. 33 year old RH, 19-9, 3.57. Maddux spent the first 7 seasons of his career with the Cubs, winning a Cy Young. He moved to Atlanta in '93 and won 3 straight Cy Youngs. This year - this is his worst season in a long stretch - from '92-'02 this is his worst ERA+ season but he did win his 10th Gold Glove. Alex Bregman singles with 2 out, that's it.
2nd: Keith Lockhart singles with 2 away. That's it.
2nd: 1-2-3
3rd: Chipper walks with one away. Chipper Jones is 27, in his 6th big league season. He was NL MVP this year, the only time he'd ever win. That's it.
3rd: Robinson Chirinos walks. The Astros catcher is 35, it's his only Astros campaign after a year in Tampa and 6 in Texas. Josh Reddick and George Springer single back to back and Houston's loaded the bases on Maddux with nobody out and it is defeaning here in Minute Maid Park. Yordan Alvarez draws a walk to tie the score. Big 6-4-3 Bregman double play, it does score the go ahead run, but that's all for the Astros. Braves 1 Astros 2
4th: Verlander gets 2 - and then Brian Jordan ties it up with a homer to right. Braves 2 Astros 2
4th: Michael Brantley singles with one away - and then Yuli Gurriel hits a 2 run homer to right center - big flies for both clubs today against these all time great pitchers. The Astros first baseman is 35, in his 4th big league season. Braves 2 Astros 4
5th: 1-2-3
5th: Bregman walks with 2 out, that's it.
6th: Ryan Klesko homers to left to draw the Braves within a run. Atlanta's third homer of the day. Braves 3 Astros 4
6th: Michael Brantley singles to right center with one away. Chirinos follows with a base hit after the second out and then Josh Reddick knocks Maddux out of the game with a run scoring single. Reddick's 32. It's his third year in Houston after 3 in Boston, 5 in Oakland, and 1 with the Dodgers. 33 year old lefty Mike Remlinger was 10-1 with a 2.37 ERA. and ends it. Braves 3 Astros 5
7th: Jordan singles and out later Ozzie Guillen doubles. The 35 year old got the start at short today, it's his second and last year in Atlanta after 13 with the White Sox and a season in Baltimore. That's all.
7th: Alvarez walks and an out later Carlos Correa, who homered in game 1 - does it again, a 2 run shot that maybe puts this one out of reach. Braves 3 Astros 7
8th: Walt Harris threw 2 scoreless in game 1 and he's on now. He gets 2 and then Randall Simon reaches on an error. Simon's DH'ing today, it's his third season, but he's still in his rookie year. Andruw Jones follows with a base hit. That's all.
8th: 22 year old RH Kevin McGlinchey won 7 games, 2.82, he's the new Brave pitcher, Gurriel singles, an out later Reddick and Springer single - thats going to do it, the Astros are about to go up 2 games to 0. Braves 3 Astros 8
9th: Harris stays on to finish the game - Lockhart singles and Hinch decides to bring in the closer Hector Rondon - he gets the next 3.
Braves 3
Astros 8
WP Verlander
LP Maddux
The Astros were heavy favorites in this series and they take both games in Houston, leaving them one from advancing.
Springer 3x/double
Alvarez 2x
Bregman 4x
Correa 2x/ 2HR
Altuve 1x
Gurriel 2x/HR
Chirinos 2x
Reddick 4x
Brantley 3x
CJones 3x
Klesko 2x/double, HR
Simon 1x
Lopez 1x/HR
AJones 1x
Jordan 4x/double, HR
Lockhart 3x
Weiss 1x
Guillen 1x/double
CF Springer (29) 150 6.5
3B Bregman (25) 162 9.2
SS Correa (24) 137 3.3
2B Altuve (29) 131 3.7
LF Brantley (32) (LH) 126 3.9
1B Gurriel (35) 126 3.8
C Chirinos (35) 105 2.8
RF Reddick (32) (LH) 89 1.6
SP3 Miley (32) (LH) 116 1.6
3B Jones (27) (SH) 169 6.4
C Lopez (28) 128 2
CF Jones (22) 114 7.4
RF Jordan (32) 104 2.5
1B Hunter (31) 101
LF Williams (32) 99 1.3
2B Boone (30) 83 1.3
SS Hernandez (29) 71 .3
SP3 Smoltz (32) 141 6.2
GAME THREE
1st: The Braves entered as heavy underdogs and that's played out, Houston taking the first two games - but the one real advantage Atlanta had coming in was Game 3, at home, with John Smoltz matched against Wade Miley. Smoltz is a 32 year old RH, 11-8, 3.19. This is Smoltz's 12th season in Atlanta; he was 4th in the Cy Young last year and will miss all of next year with injury. 1-2-3
1st: Wade Miley is a 32 year old LH, 14-6. 3.98. This is Miley's only season in Houston after 4 in Arizona, a year in Boston and Seattle, 2 in Baltimore and 1 in Milwaukee. Chipper Jones hits his first pitch over the wall in right center and the Tomahawks are Chopping in Atlanta. Andruw Jones singles with one away, that's all. Astros 0 Braves 1
2nd: Yuli Gurriel singles with 2 out, that's all.
2nd: Gerald Williams singles. The Braves LF is 32, it's his 2nd and last season in Atlanta after 5 with the Yankees and 2 with the Brewers. That's it.
3rd: 1-2-3
3rd: Javy Lopez singles with 2 out but that's all.
4th: Carlos Correa singles with 1 out, after the second, Michael Brantley singles, Gurriel singles sharply to tie the game. Smoltz walks Chironis - and then Josh Reddick hits a grand slam. That silences this sold out crowd - Josh Reddick has hit a grand slam off John Smoltz and now the Astros are poised to sweep this series. Astros 5 Braves 1
4th: 1-2-3
5th: Smoltz hits Bregman with 1 out, after the second out, Altuve singles, that's all.
5th: Jose Hernandez is at short today and he singles with 2 out. Hernandez is 29, played in just 48 games this year. He spent a season in Texas, then one in Cleveland, then a half dozen with the Cubs - they dealt him at mid-season to Atlanta. He'll be on his way out after the season. Smoltz stays in the game and he doubles home a run. Astros 5 Braves 2
6th: Smoltz walks Chirinos with 1 out and after the second out gives up a single to Miley. That's all.
6th: Brian Jordan singles with one away and steals second. After the second out he scores on a Gerald Williams base hit and the Braves draw closer. Astros 5 Braves 3
7th: Smoltz is done - Mike Remlinger enters for Atlanta. Bregman singles and an out later Altuve singles -- Brantley flies to center - but it scores a run - and that might be the dagger. Gurriel follows with a single, that's all. Astros 6 Braves 3
7th: Walt Harris hasn't allowed a run in either game and he gets the ball. Hernandez singles. After an out, Chipper doubles. 2 in scoring position - Lopez reaches on an error that scores a run and an Andruw Jones sac fly scores the second. The Braves are not going quietly. Astros 6 Braves 5
8th: Kevin McGlinchey is the new Braves pitcher. Reddick reaches on an error and then Yordan Alvarez pinch singles. After an out - A wild pitch scores a run - and after the second out Correa singles home another. Altuve singles - that's all - the Astros are readying for the Regional Final. Astros 8 Braves 5
8th: Hector Rondon comes on. Williams singles with one away, but that's it and the Astros are 3 outs from the sweep.
9th: 30 year old RH Russ Springer for the Braves, 3.42. Chirinos walks with one away, that's all.
9th: Roberto Osuna is on to finish up.
Randall Simon is the pinch hitter - grounds to second.
Chipper singles.
Lopez flies to left.
Andruw Jones easy grounder to second -- Altuve throws on to first and it's over.
Low key celebration for the Astros - the Astros are undefeated thusfar in the tournament, they will roll into the Region 7 final with an 8-0 tournament record.
Astros 8
Braves 5
WP Miley
LP Smoltz
Sv Osuna
Correa 4x/ 2HR
Gurriel 5x/HR
Reddick 5x/HR
Cole had the best pitched game; Correa hit 2 homers, Reddick had the grand slam today. Let's say that Correa and Reddick are co-MVPs.
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