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ATLANTA — It’s almost a cliché to say that a team which falls behind 3-1 in a best-of-seven playoff series has been pushed to the brink. If that’s the case, the Houston Astros went to the brink and a little beyond and survived to tell about it.

The Astros bounced back from a first-inning grand slam clubbed by Atlanta’s Adam Duvall, beating the Braves 9-5 on Sunday and sending the World Series back to Houston for Game 6 on Tuesday. Atlanta still maintains a 3-2 series lead.

To hear Houston manager Dusty Baker tell it, the Astros’ motivation was pretty simple.

“We didn’t want to end here with the celebration here,” Baker said.

Duvall’s slam put a charge into the standing-room-only throng at Truist Park, eager to see the Braves clinch their first title since 1995 and the first since the club moved into its five-year-old park in suburban Cobb County.

At that point, history was not on Houston’s side. The Braves became the first team to score four runs in a potential World Series clincher since the 1961 Yankees, who went on to cruise to a 13-5 win over the Reds to win the title 60 years ago.

On top of that, teams were 45-3 all time when holding a lead of four or more runs at any point of a potential clincher, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Make it 45-4. And Baker, whose 2002 Giants were the last team to blow a lead that big in a World Series clinching scenario, felt like if it had to happen and it’s good that it happened with plenty of game left.

“I always say, ‘if it’s going to happen, let it happen early,'” Baker said. “You don’t want it to happen in the middle of the game or toward the end of the game. The guys came through. That’s what counts.”

In a vacuum, if there is any team that should feel at ease in trying to overcome a four-run deficit with the end of the season staring them down, it’s the Astros. Besides Houston’s extensive postseason experience — five straight trips to the ALCS and three pennants in five seasons — this was baseball’s most prolific offense during the regular season and an attack that managed to become even more productive once the playoffs began.

That is until the World Series began and the Astros struggled to a .206 team batting average during the first four games against Atlanta. Houston was shut out on two hits during Friday’s Game 3 loss and managed just two runs in a 3-2 Game 4 loss on Saturday.

Add up the 3-1 series hole, the early 4-0 deficit in Game 5, the struggles of the offense and it made for a grim scenario to everyone, it seems, except the Astros.

“I say keep fighting,” Astros shortstop Carlos Correa said. “I’m a huge MMA fan, and I’ve seen lots of guys almost knocked out, and they battle back to win the fight.”

The Astros weren’t knocked out by their early deficit and the seeds for that turnaround might have been planted before the game. After two straight days of chill, drizzle and mist meant the infield at Truist Park remained under a tarp before the games, and wiped out batting practice, Sunday’s game was played in cool but dry conditions.

Thus both clubs were able to get on the field before the game and go through their normal pregame drills. This was a particular boon for the Astros, who struggled to acclimate to a park in which they had only played two games prior to this series and none since 2017.

“Today really felt like the World Series because they got to go on the field and see all the people and see all the media,” Baker said. “It felt like the World Series, where the other [games] felt like we were coming out of the dungeon and just going to play. So that was big, the fact that we got to get on the field.”

Whether or not that was the key, the Astros outscored the Braves 9-1 after their early hole, an outburst keyed by the bottom of the order.

Baker shuffled his lineup after the offense’s struggles during the first two games in Atlanta, dropping All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman to seventh in the batting order. Bregman was one of the beneficiaries of the dry conditions, which he took advantage of with extra work in the batting cage before the game.

After managing just one hit over the first four games of the Series, Bregman drove in Houston’s first run with a ringing double in the top of the second, minutes after Duvall’s grand slam.

“I think that was the key of us winning the game right there, bouncing back right away,” Correa said. “Those two runs, Bregman getting the huge double. Getting the confidence all the way up.”

Bregman’s double was just the tip of the iceberg for the bottom of the Houston lineup. Batting eighth, light-hitting catcher Martin Maldonado drove in three runs. And batting as a pinch-hitter in the nine-hole, Marwin Gonzalez stroked a key two-run single.

“Whatever way you bring a run, especially in the [playoffs], is huge,” Maldonado said. “You get good at-bats, whatever the situation dictates. You try to work through it.”

The Astros worked through their dance with the brink of elimination and suddenly are headed back to the heart of Texas, still down, but very much alive. The Braves could have been the first champion since the 2013 Red Sox to celebrate a title on their home field. Now, only the Astros can snap that drought.

“The pressure’s still on us because they’ve got the lead,” Baker said. “They’ve got to win one and we’ve got to win two. But the fact is we are going home.”

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Judge: First ejection of career ‘very surprising’

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Judge: First ejection of career 'very surprising'

NEW YORK — Aaron Judge has accomplished plenty during his nine-year major league career. The five-time All-Star set the American League record for home runs in a season in 2022. He won the AL MVP award. He was named the 16th captain in New York Yankees history.

And not once in his first 869 career games was the 32-year-old slugger ever ejected.

That streak, though, ended Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

Judge was tossed for the first time leading off the seventh inning after arguing a called third strike in the Yankees’ eventual 5-3 win over the Detroit Tigers. Judge was displeased when plate umpire Ryan Blakney punched him out on a pitch he thought was outside for ball four. The outfielder had some words for Blakney as he walked away before turning around to go to the Yankees’ dugout. Blakney then threw him out of the game.

“Very surprising, especially in a 5-3 game, late in the game,” Judge said. “Battling a 3-2 count and kind of walking away saying my piece. I’ve said a lot worse. … I usually try not to make a scene in situations like that. So a little surprised [that] walking away that happened.”

Judge said there wasn’t any tension between him and Blakney leading up to that point. He ended his day 2-for-3 with a double. It was just his second multihit game since April 14, raising his batting average on the season to .209. Trent Grisham replaced him in center field.

“I got a lot of respect for Ryan and what he does,” Judge said. “I know their job is tough and I’ve always had their back because it’s tough back there. So, for it to happen that way, that’s what I’m most upset about. Especially late in a game like that, close game.”

Umpire crew chief Alan Porter told a pool reporter that Blakney hadn’t yet told him what Judge said to warrant the ejection.

“Apparently, Aaron did not agree with the pitch and said something that you shouldn’t have said, and he was ejected,” Porter said. “We do what we can to keep guys in the game, but he said something he shouldn’t have said.”

Judge said he had never been ejected at any level in his baseball life — from little league through high school, college and the pros. It was the first time a Yankees captain was ejected from a game since Don Mattingly in May 1994.

“I didn’t even see myself get tossed,” Judge said. “It was a crowd reaction I heard, so I kind of assumed at that point.”

Though surprising to the Yankees, Judge’s ejection isn’t the team’s most controversial this season. Manager Aaron Boone was tossed five pitches into a game on April 23 for words that appeared to have come from a fan behind the dugout.

On Saturday, Boone, whose 35 ejections since 2018 are the most among managers, defended his star.

“I was surprised,” Boone said. “Judgy says very little usually. Very respectfully, walking away. Come on, man.”

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Arraez a big hit in Padres debut, goes 4-for-6

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Arraez a big hit in Padres debut, goes 4-for-6

PHOENIX — Luis Arraez had four hits and an RBI in his first game after being traded from the Miami Marlins, Ha-Seong Kim hit a three-run homer in San Diego’s eight-run seventh inning and the Padres routed the listless Arizona Diamondbacks 13-1 on Saturday.

The Padres made a massive deal Friday, acquiring Arraez from the Marlins along with nearly $7.9 million in a trade for four players. The two-time batting champion didn’t join his new team until about 3:30 p.m. Saturday, but he wasted no time in producing, going 4-for-6 while scoring two runs.

“Clearly an amazing approach, and I can see why he is the rightful moniker of ‘The Sprinkler,'” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “You’re talking about he’s an artist being able to put the ball in the whole field. That was that was a sight to behold. What a talent.”

Arraez wasn’t the only San Diego player seeing the ball well at Chase Field.

Jurickson Profar had a two-run homer in the seventh inning among his four hits, and Kim followed with a three-run shot. Manny Machado had three RBIs. And Michael King (3-3) allowed six singles in six innings for San Diego’s season-high fourth straight victory. The Padres had 18 hits.

“I absolutely love him,” King said about Arraez. “He’s a spark plug who’s a really tough out and just finds the bases. It’s going to be really fun to see him with the guys we have behind him.”

The Diamondbacks would love to put this week behind them.

Arizona had two runners picked off at first in the first inning and didn’t get a runner past second base until Gabriel Moreno‘s two-out, run-scoring single in the ninth. The reigning National League champion Diamondbacks have been outscored 28-2 since a 4-3 walk-off victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday and have lost seven of nine.

“It’s obvious right now we’re grinding, things are not going well and we just aren’t getting the job done,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “You go to work and you have a bad week at work — it happens. But we’ve got to find a way to shorten up that gap when we’re not playing good baseball to find a way to win a game.”

Arraez led off his first game with the Padres by hitting the second pitch by Brandon Pfaadt (1-2) into the corner in right for a double. He scored on Machado’s single for San Diego’s 32nd run in the first inning this season, second most in the majors to the Philadelphia Phillies‘ 37.

“He got us going and kept us going,” Shildt said.

The Diamondbacks got off to a much shakier start.

Arizona had two singles in the first inning, but Jake McCarthy got picked off by King, and Ketel Marte was thrown out by right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. after rounding first too far.

Fielding caused the Diamondbacks problems in the fourth inning.

Shortstop Blaze Alexander had an error on a potential double-play ball then threw late to the plate when Profar took off from third on Luis Campusano‘s grounder. Arraez’s single to left put San Diego up 3-0.

The Padres chased Pfaadt in the seventh inning and blew the game open against Arizona’s bullpen, sending 14 batters to plate. Pfaadt allowed five runs on 10 hits in six innings.

“We’re a team trying to get back on its high horse, and certainly it didn’t work out today,” Pfaadt said. “Certainly, we’ll try to look forward to tomorrow and try to get back on the horse.”

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Phils SS Turner (hamstring) set to miss 6 weeks

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Phils SS Turner (hamstring) set to miss 6 weeks

PHILADELPHIA — Trea Turner will miss at least six weeks with a left hamstring strain after being injured in the fourth inning of Philadelphia‘s 4-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on Friday.

The Phillies placed the two-time All-Star shortstop on the 10-day injured list Saturday, but Turner said he’ll need more time.

“I hate being hurt,” he said.

Turner has started all 30 games this season, helping the Phillies (22-11) enter Saturday with the most wins in baseball. He is hitting .343 with two homers, 10 doubles, nine RBI and 10 stolen bases.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson, before knowing the extent of the absence, said losing Turner for any amount of time would be a blow.

“It’s a huge loss,” he said. “It’s Trea Turner, one of the best players in baseball.”

Turner had two hits in Friday’s game, when he helped the Phillies to their 14th win in the last 17 games.

He was injured on a stellar hustle play. He singled, stole second and scored from there on a passed ball on a walk to Bryce Harper. Philadelphia’s speedy shortstop just beat the tag by right-hander Jordan Hicks, and plate umpire Brian Walsh’s safe call was confirmed by video review.

“It was a great play,” Thomson said. “Won us a ballgame.”

Turner injured his left hamstring running the bases between third and home.

The Phillies recalled Kody Clemens from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take Turner’s roster spot.

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