It sure looked like the 2021 World Series would end on Sunday night. The Atlanta Braves, already holding a 3-1 lead in the series, stormed into Game 5 with a Grand Slam in the first inning and positioned themselves to have a huge celebration at their home park. But the Houston Astros just were not willing to give up.

With their backs against the wall, the Astros bounced back in an impressive fashion and claimed a 9-5 win to keep their World Series hopes alive. They now travel back to Houston, where they will have to get another win on Tuesday if they want to force a deciding Game 7.

The Braves took the lead at the bottom of the first when Adam Duvall hit a 377-foot home run and became the only player in franchise history besides Lonnie Smith to have a Grand Slam in the World Series.

Houston didn’t get discouraged, however, and slowly cut into Atlanta’s lead to make it 4-4 at the top of the third.

The Braves then took the lead again thanks to Freddie Freeman’s 460-foot homer at the bottom of the third. This was also Freeman’s longest homer of the season.

After that, it was all Houston. After Martin Maldonado walked to make it 5-5 at the top of the fifth, Marwin Gonzalez singled and got the Astros into the driving seat.

Maldonado singled at the top of the seventh, and Carlos Correa singled at the top of the eighth to wrap it up for the Astros.

“Before the game we talked and we said, ‘We’re not gonna give up,'” Correa, who finished with three hits, said after the game. “We’re gonna go out there fighting.”

This was the first postseason loss at home for the Braves, but manager Brian Snitker believes this game won’t affect his team’s ability to finish the job and give Atlanta its first World Series win since 1995.

“If we win the World Series, it doesn’t matter where it is,” Snitker said. “I’d have loved to have done it in front of our fans. Hopefully, we can do it the next couple of days.”

The post Astros Survive Braves’ 1st Inning Grand Slam to Keep World Series Hopes Alive appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Due to the shortened regular season in 2020, MLB made a decision to expand this year’s playoffs from 10 to 16 teams. The move proved to be popular with baseball fans while bringing the league more revenue, which is why MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred hopes to keep the expanded postseason in the future as well.

In a recent interview with Associated Press, Manfred discussed the matter and voiced his support towards having more teams in the playoffs past 2020. 

 “I like the idea of, and I’m choosing my words carefully here, an expanded playoff format,” said Manfred.

Manfred ruled out the option of having 16 teams in the postseason like this year, as he believes this would make the regular season lose its importance. However, two or four more teams seem like a legitimate option.

“I don’t think we would do 16 like we did this year,” he added. “I think we do have to be cognizant of making sure that we preserve the importance of our regular season. But I think something beyond the 10 that we were at would be a good change.”

MLB has been pushing for 14-team playoffs the last offseason but didn’t manage to get the momentum they needed for a change. It is important to note that the league can’t decide this by themselves, as they need the MLB Players’ Association approval for any change.

The post MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred Hopes to Keep Expanded Playoffs Past 2020 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It sure looked like the 2021 World Series would end on Sunday night. The Atlanta Braves, already holding a 3-1 lead in the series, stormed into Game 5 with a Grand Slam in the first inning and positioned themselves to have a huge celebration at their home park. But the Houston Astros just were not willing to give up.

With their backs against the wall, the Astros bounced back in an impressive fashion and claimed a 9-5 win to keep their World Series hopes alive. They now travel back to Houston, where they will have to get another win on Tuesday if they want to force a deciding Game 7.

The Braves took the lead at the bottom of the first when Adam Duvall hit a 377-foot home run and became the only player in franchise history besides Lonnie Smith to have a Grand Slam in the World Series.

Houston didn’t get discouraged, however, and slowly cut into Atlanta’s lead to make it 4-4 at the top of the third.

The Braves then took the lead again thanks to Freddie Freeman’s 460-foot homer at the bottom of the third. This was also Freeman’s longest homer of the season.

After that, it was all Houston. After Martin Maldonado walked to make it 5-5 at the top of the fifth, Marwin Gonzalez singled and got the Astros into the driving seat.

Maldonado singled at the top of the seventh, and Carlos Correa singled at the top of the eighth to wrap it up for the Astros.

“Before the game we talked and we said, ‘We’re not gonna give up,'” Correa, who finished with three hits, said after the game. “We’re gonna go out there fighting.”

This was the first postseason loss at home for the Braves, but manager Brian Snitker believes this game won’t affect his team’s ability to finish the job and give Atlanta its first World Series win since 1995.

“If we win the World Series, it doesn’t matter where it is,” Snitker said. “I’d have loved to have done it in front of our fans. Hopefully, we can do it the next couple of days.”

The post Astros Survive Braves’ 1st Inning Grand Slam to Keep World Series Hopes Alive appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Due to the shortened regular season in 2020, MLB made a decision to expand this year’s playoffs from 10 to 16 teams. The move proved to be popular with baseball fans while bringing the league more revenue, which is why MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred hopes to keep the expanded postseason in the future as well.

In a recent interview with Associated Press, Manfred discussed the matter and voiced his support towards having more teams in the playoffs past 2020. 

 “I like the idea of, and I’m choosing my words carefully here, an expanded playoff format,” said Manfred.

Manfred ruled out the option of having 16 teams in the postseason like this year, as he believes this would make the regular season lose its importance. However, two or four more teams seem like a legitimate option.

“I don’t think we would do 16 like we did this year,” he added. “I think we do have to be cognizant of making sure that we preserve the importance of our regular season. But I think something beyond the 10 that we were at would be a good change.”

MLB has been pushing for 14-team playoffs the last offseason but didn’t manage to get the momentum they needed for a change. It is important to note that the league can’t decide this by themselves, as they need the MLB Players’ Association approval for any change.

The post MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred Hopes to Keep Expanded Playoffs Past 2020 appeared first on SportzBonanza.