Anderson and four relief pitchers combined made a two-hitter.
Aledmys Diaz, pinch-hitter, stole the eighth against Tyler Matzek. It was thrown in front of Eddie Rosario, left fielder, and scored Houston his first hit.
Alex Bregman struck out one through the right side of the shifted infield, leading to the ninth against Will Smith, who was perfect in five save attempts this postseason.
Atlanta led with Riley’s RBI double off Astros rookie starter Luis Garcia in the third. Kendall Graveman scored in the eighth, but d’Arnaud’s 437-foot homer was too much for Kendall Graveman. It was d’Arnaud’s first home run in the World Series and his first homer at home.
The Series had been tied 60 times before the Series ended 1-1. However, the Game 3 winner won 39 games, including six of the nine last ones.
Rosario walked to start a 43-pitch third inning. Freddie Freeman walked and Garcia hit a 0-1 cutter. Riley lined the plate between Bregman, third base and third base down the left-field line to score an RBI double.
Jorge Soler walked but Garcia stranded bases loaded after Adam Duvall fouled at first and d’Arnaud struck.
The Braves, which left nine runners behind, improved their record to 6-0 at Truist Park this postseason. Truist Park opened in 2017, and the Braves have won 11 of 12 of their previous 12 games there. Atlanta ended a five-game losing streak at home in the World Series.
Houston, the most-hitting major league team during the season, had only two hits, three walks, and two hit batters.
Anderson, 23, was unable to control his pitching and walked three times. Anderson struck out four batters. A.J. Minter and Luke Jackson each followed with an inning.
Diaz’s strike ended the longest streak of no-hit bids in the Series since 1967’s Game 2. Jim Lonborg, Boston’s ace, pitched a one-hitter that allowed Julian Javier to score a two-run double in the eighth.
Jose Siri, pinch-runner, stole second with two outs and moved to third when d’Arnaud’s throw went into center field for an error. However, Siri was left stranded after Michael Brantley popped out in favor of Matzek.
Matzek stated, “I didn’t want the boys to down.”
The Astros’ Dusty Baker (72) was the oldest of World Series managers. However, the Braves’ Brian Snitker (66) had the highest combined ages. They lifted their starting pitchers according to modern metrics after 18 batters each. This is because they didn’t want leadoff hitters to face one pitcher three times.
The Braves won the Series at home for only the sixth time since 1999.
Anderson is now 4-0 in eight postseason starts, with two major league seasons. He had the second-longest no hit bid by a rookie starter in World Series History behind Jeff Tesreau, New York Giants’ opener in 1912. The game was broken up when Tris Speaker tripled in the sixth.
Anderson struck out and threw only 39 of the 76 pitches for strikes. He was then pulled by Snitker.
It was fine. Anderson stated that he has complete trust in Snit, the bullpen and those guys who are coming in. Anderson said, “You don’t get a nickname for being shut down like they are.”
Garcia allowed three hits over 3 1/3 innings, with six strikeouts and 4 walks. He threw 72 pitches and came out with the final two outs of the fourth inning with only two pitches.
This was the eighth meeting of rookie starters in Series. It was also the first since Justin Verlander in Detroit and Anthony Reyes in St. Louis in 2006. Garcia was not faced by any Braves, and Anderson had never been beaten by Marwin Gonzalez (0 for 3).
The rain stopped an hour before the game. It started with a cold night and a temperature of 49 degrees. After Boston’s Fenway Park (1914), Braves Field (1948), Milwaukee County Stadium (1957 and ’58), Atlanta Fulton-County Stadium (91, 92, 95, and ’96), and Turner Field (1999), the Braves were the first to host the Series at six ballparks.
HAMMERIN’ HANK
Major League Baseball held a pregame memorial to Hank Aaron Jr., the ex-Braves star and executive who passed away in January. Hank Aaron Jr., his mother Billye Aaron, and their siblings Gaile Aaron and Dorinda threw the ceremonial opening pitch.
FAMILY AFFAIR
Baker asked hitting coach Troy Snitker to go to the plate with him to swap lineup cards and photos with his father, Braves manager Brian Snitker.
NEXT
Zack Greinke was expected start Game 4 for Houston. The Braves will go with the first of three consecutive bullpen games as a response to Charlie Morton’s injury that left him unable to play Game 1.
“Night shift’s ready,” Matzek said.
