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2 years ago

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11:26 PM ET

  • ESPN staff

This time, a 5-0 lead was more than enough for the Houston Astros.

A day after allowing the Philadelphia Phillies to come back to win 6-5 in extra innings, the Astros took care of business in Game 2, winning 5-2. Framber Valdez went 6.1 innings, giving up one run and striking out nine, while Houston led off the game with three straight extra-base hits, a first in World Series history. An Alex Bregman two-run home run added some insurance, but Houston was in control of this game from the first pitch.

Here are the best sights and sounds from Game 2 of what is now a tied 2022 World Series.

Game 2 takeaways

We didn’t get the drama of Game 1, as Houston’s 5-2 victory was an archetypal Astros win for 2022. Valdez was terrific on the mound for 6.1 innings, the top of the lineup did all the damage and the bullpen closed it out. This is how the Astros won 106 games in 2022 and why they are now 8-1 this postseason.

The game was really over after just four pitches, when Jose Altuve, Jeremy Pena and Yordan Alvarez each doubled off Zack Wheeler for a quick 2-0 lead, with Alvarez later scoring on an error to make it 3-0. Altuve broke out of his postseason slump with three hits, and Bregman added a two-run home run, but Valdez took home star of the night honors. As is usually the case, it was impossible to get the ball up in the air against him. He got 19 outs: nine on strikeouts, nine on grounders and one on Bryce Harper‘s line out to left field in the first inning. Two double plays helped him get out of a couple small jams.

The Phillies had their best opportunity for a big inning in the eighth off reliever Rafael Montero when Kyle Schwarber just missed a two-run home run … twice. First, he hit a long foul ball that was originally ruled a home run before the umpires met and correctly called it a foul ball. Then he flew out to Kyle Tucker in front of the wall in right field. Harper would come up later in the inning with two runners on, but popped out to shallow right-center, with shortstop Pena hauling in the catch in a near collision with Tucker.

It’s certainly a little concerning to the Phillies that both Aaron Nola and Wheeler have been hit hard in their starts. The path to a World Series title for the Phillies certainly feels like it rides heavily on those pitchers delivering great outings and that hasn’t happened, with only Game 1’s historic five-run comeback at least giving them a split in these first two games.

One area of interest: Dusty Baker certainly likes to leave his starters in the game. Valdez had thrown 94 pitches through six when he came back out for the seventh. Granted, it was 5-0 at the time, but Baker still left him in after Nick Castellanos‘ leadoff double. Given that Houston’s bullpen has allowed just four earned runs in 40.2 innings in the postseason with just 19 hits allowed, it’s something to monitor the rest of the series. — David Schoenfield

Bregman goes yard

Alex Bregman gives the Astros another 5-0 lead with a two-run homer in the fifth, off a Zack Wheeler slider. Wheeler had been terrific through his first four postseason starts with a 1.78 ERA, but hasn’t had the same zip on his fastball and has resorted to throwing more offspeed stuff than normal. His fastball has averaged 94.2 mph — this from a guy who maxed out at 99 against the Padres in his last outing. He started losing some velocity after a couple innings in that game, however, which is one reason the Phillies gave him an extra day of rest by starting Aaron Nola over Wheeler in Game 1. It’s possible the long postseason full of high-stress innings is starting to take its toll on Wheeler. As for Bregman, you might remember he struggled last postseason when he played through a hand injury and hit .217 with one home run in 16 games (and went 2-for-21 in the World Series). This was his third home run of the 2022 postseason. — Schoenfield

Valdez is dealing

Framber Valdez had a World Series to forget last season: Two starts, just 4.2 innings, 10 total runs and two home runs allowed each game — and this is a pitcher who doesn’t allow many home runs. Staked to an early lead in Game 2, we’re seeing the guy who won 17 games this season with a 2.82 ERA and led the American League in innings pitched. He just mowed down the 4-5-6 hitters in the Philadelphia lineup, striking out Bryce Harper on a curveball, getting Nick Castellanos on a slow grounder to third and striking out Alec Bohm looking on a 97-mph sinker at the knees. No, it’s not fair: Valdez has one of the best curveballs in the game, a cutter with ridiculous movement … oh, and he can dial it up to 97. Justin Verlander tired in the middle innings in Game 1, but that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen to Valdez. — Schoenfield

Houston opens the scoring

Jose Altuve had been a miserable 4-for-37 in the postseason, but he jumped all over Zack Wheeler‘s first pitch, a 96.4-mph fastball, for a leadoff double into left field — and he smoked it at 103.8 mph. Jeremy Pena then drilled Wheeler’s next pitch, a curveball, into the left-field corner for an RBI double, his eighth extra-base hit of the postseason. Two pitches later, Yordan Alvarez lofted a flyball off the Crawford Boxes for another double. Four pitches, three doubles and a 2-0 lead. It’s the first time a team has started a World Series game with three straight extra base hits.

The Astros then stole a third run thanks to some shoddy Phillies defense. Alvarez aggressively tagged up on a routine flyball to center fielder Matt Vierling — who says the big man can’t run? — and then scored when Rhys Hoskins was unable to scoop shortstop Edmundo Sosa‘s throw in the dirt with two outs. All postseason, we’ve been waiting for the Phillies’ defense to hurt them, and they made three bad plays in one inning — a poor throw from Vierling, a poor throw from Sosa and a poor scoop from Hoskins. Astros up 3-0. Sound familiar? — Schoenfield

Pregame fashion

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Hagel suspended for Game 3 due to hit on Barkov

  • Greg WyshynskiApr 25, 2025, 10:30 PM ET

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      Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel was suspended one game by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Friday night for what it labeled “an extremely forceful body check to an unsuspecting opponent” that injured Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.

Hagel will miss Saturday’s Game 3 in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers lead the series 2-0.

Around midway through the third period of Thursday’s Game 2, Tampa Bay was on the power play while trailing 1-0. Barkov pressured defenseman Ryan McDonagh deep in the Lightning zone. With the puck clearly past Barkov, Hagel lined him up for a huge hit that sent the Panthers captain to the ice and thumping off the end boards.

A penalty was whistled, and the officials conferred before calling a “five-minute penalty.” After review, Hagel was given a 5-minute major for interference. Barkov left the game with 10:09 remaining in regulation and did not return to the Panthers’ 2-0 win.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after the game that he didn’t expect Hagel to receive a major penalty for the hit.

“Refs make the call. I was a little surprised it was a five, but it was,” he said.

The NHL ruled that Hagel’s hit made “some head contact” on Barkov.

“It’s important to note that Barkov is never in possession of the puck on this play and is therefore not eligible to be checked in any manner,” the league said.

In the Friday hearing, held remotely, Hagel argued that he approached the play anticipating that Barkov would play the puck. But the Department of Player Safety said the onus was on Hagel to ensure that Barkov was eligible to be checked. It also determined that the hit had “sufficient force” for supplemental discipline.

It’s Hagel’s first suspension in 375 regular-season and 36 playoff games. He was fined for boarding Florida’s Eetu Luostarinen in May 2022.

The Panthers held an optional skate Friday. Coach Paul Maurice said Barkov “hasn’t been ruled out yet” but “hasn’t been cleared” for Game 3.

“He’s an irreplicable player,” Panthers defenseman Seth Jones said of Barkov. “One of the best centermen in the league. He’s super important to our team.”

The Lightning lose Hagel while they struggle to score in the series; they scored two goals in Game 1 and were shut out in Game 2. Tampa Bay was the highest-scoring team in the regular season (3.56), with Hagel contributing 35 goals and 55 assists in 82 games.

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  • Greg WyshynskiApr 25, 2025, 09:08 PM ET

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      Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.

The Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens lost their starting goalies because of injuries in Game 3 of their first-round series Friday night.

Canadiens starter Sam Montembeault was replaced by rookie Jakub Dobes, who made his playoff debut, in the second period. Capitals starter Logan Thompson left late in the third period after a collision with teammate Dylan Strome.

The Canadiens won 6-3 to cut their series deficit to 2-1.

Montembeault left the crease with 8:21 remaining in the second period and the score tied 2-2. Replays showed him reaching for the back of his left leg after making a save on Capitals defenseman Alex Alexeyev. Montembeault had stopped 11 of 13 shots. For the series, he stopped 58 of 63 shots (.921 save percentage) with a 2.49 goals-against average.

Dobes, 23, was 7-4-3 in 16 games for the Canadiens in the regular season with a .909 save percentage. Dobes had a win over the Capitals on Jan. 10, stopping 15 shots in a 3-2 overtime win.

Thompson was helped from the ice by a trainer and teammates after Strome collided with him with 6:37 left in regulation right after Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky made it a 5-3 Montreal lead. Thompson attempted to skate off on his own but couldn’t put weight down on his left leg.

Backup goalie Charlie Lindgren replaced Thompson, who had been outstanding for the Capitals in the first two games of the series, winning both with a .951 save percentage and a 1.47 goals-against average. He made 30 saves on 35 shots in Game 3.

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