Helps win World Series by trying to get hit by pitch, a breakdown
What Happened
In the bottom of the sixth inning of Game 5 of the 2022 World Series, Houston Astros catcher Martín Maldonado steps up to the plate with his team trailing the Philadelphia Phillies by one run. Maldonado, who is playing through a broken hand and a sports hernia, openly admits that he is trying to get hit by a pitch to reach base and help his team. Maldonado inches closer to the plate, practically hanging over it, and signals to the pitcher to hit him. "Don't move, don't want to hear you, don't move," Maldonado says. "Hopefully they hit you." The pitcher, however, does not comply, and Maldonado narrowly avoids being hit. On the next pitch, Maldonado is finally struck by the ball, but the Phillies challenge the call, arguing that Maldonado intentionally got in the way. After review, the umpires rule that Maldonado was indeed hit by the pitch, and he is awarded first base. This sets the stage for the Astros' star second baseman, José Altuve, who grounds into a fielder's choice, putting Maldonado on second base. The Astros then bring in their slugger, Yordan Alvarez, who steps up to the plate with the tying run on third. Alvarez works the count to 2-1 against Phillies reliever José Alvarado. On the next pitch, Alvarez crushes a towering three-run home run, estimated at 450 feet, that all but seals the Astros' victory. The crowd erupts in celebration, and Astros manager Dusty Baker, who is seeking his first World Series championship, is overcome with emotion. As the Astros players mob Alvarez at home plate, the camera crew captures a fan in the stands holding the home run ball, reluctantly agreeing to show it on the broadcast while still trying to watch the game. The victory gives the Astros a 3-2 lead in the series, putting them one win away from their second World Series championship in franchise history.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momenta little bit of legal funny business in
the world series from Maldonado here
this breakdown is brought to you by
DraftKings now look how close to the
plate he is standing in his previous
at-bat he was not standing that close to
the plate he inched closer to the plate
and he even admitted to it after the
game all right right there I gotta go on
base you know my job living off gotta
get on base so I said let me get closer
as close as I can don't move don't want
to hear you don't move hopefully they
hit you now for those that are going to
get irritated by that I think you should
know the Fuller context he was playing
with the both a broken hand and a sports
hernia so his odds of getting the hit
probably not incredibly high he said
it's about winning the team needed me
the pitchers needed me he needed to get
on base he literally had a conversation
with himself straight out of Major
League
this guy he used to pitch inside didn't
he yeah get a bat and step into one
what let him hit you with a ball I need
another Runner out there all right so
upbeat steps toes on the line elbow
hanging over the plate the pitch is
there but he doesn't get hit and he even
tried even like oh come on hit me hit me
hit me doesn't hit him damn was that his
chance the next pitch that's inside but
that's a strike so now it's one and one
all right let's bust him in again and
now Sinker runs in hits some real
noodles like what he's over the plate
and I'll not her walk straight the first
base kind of gives his coach like a look
like they're talking about me what's
going on back there and I was like he's
on top of the plate like what are you
talking about and look you know he even
like reaches That Elbow out brings it
back in did he intentionally get in the
way it's it's a really tough call
because like that's that's where he's
standing and I guess it's legal to be
standing like that
but he got exactly what he wanted he was
hanging over the plate and gets hit you
know foul ball which doesn't make any
sense and then the Phillies challenge
that he didn't get hit by the pitch
which maybe they were just hoping they'd
go to the replay and and because you
can't challenge it was intentional and
they were hoping they would take another
look and they get it I don't understand
the batter was hit by the pitch he's
awarded first base yeah because if it's
just hit by pitch that's the easiest
review of all time that's [ __ ]
terrible
foreign
terrible
topper doesn't like it and yeah this was
the third inning
where he was standing and that is the
sixth inning where he was standing and
yeah he moved a full body distance
closer hanging all over the plate gets
on base
and it helps out Altuve grounds out into
the fielder's choice but that puts
Altuve on first base now in maldonado's
spot and Altuve is faster and Altuve can
go first to Third on a single and
Maldonado could not have done that
especially with a sports hernia and Pena
tries to hurt his own hands in
celebration and now the big bad man is
up three run home run killer been doing
it all postseason so they take wheeler
out Bring Alvarado into face Alvarez
Lefty versus Lefty and look at the
nervous hands behind everyone in the
crowd it's pretty cool fastball in he's
trying to jump all over it he hits it
foul the next pitch
slider away and it's way away and real
Muto has to let's go back and watch it
again real Muto has to do a lot
a lot to block this ball it's way away
and remember looks checks the runners
because the tying runs on third base so
that slider right there might have
become a dangerous pitch because his
real Muto how to fully get out there to
catch it
and if he doesn't game could be tied
maybe everyone's calculating that so now
the count is one and one the next pitch
fastball up and in 99 miles per hour so
it's two in one is he gonna throw the
slider again I don't know because of
everything we just talked about Alvarez
has been sitting fastball and he sits
fastball there and hits the farthest
home run ever not officially ever
there's probably been farther but that
is an absolute bomb basically a great
high five basically wins the World
Series like everybody knew it was over
at that point three run home runs are
daggers look at this boom
holy moly hit that one and what'd they
say 450 feet seemed like it went a lot
further I'd never seen a ball hit up
there in that part of the stadium just
crazy celebrating with his team vomo
let's go blended it up I have no idea
what he's saying but it's exciting and
then the camera crew goes up to this guy
like hey man we'd love to get a shot of
you holding the ball for the broadcast
he's like okay can I watch the game
though it's World Series he's like uh
you still want me to hold this ball
people like this shot really okay I was
gonna turn around and watch the game
though you guys do your thing appreciate
it thanks Dusty Baker switched sides
it's a Superstition he has and then he's
got the toothpick and you want to know
what's going through his head right now
has it hit you yet Dustin oh it hit me
all right said it hit me through that
ball you're not head over to over the
moon out there that's when they hit me
now what's next
party
[Applause]
this breakdown was brought to you by
DraftKings so thanks DraftKings for
doing that they are partying in Houston
still and Dusty
gotta love that Dusty has a ring on his
finger now that's pretty special