World Series Game 3: Braves vs Astros

Starter Ian Anderson threw five no-hit, scoreless innings, third baseman Austin Riley and catcher Travis d’Arnaud provided the offense, and the Braves established a 2-1 advantage in the 2021 World Series by winning 2-0 Friday night. 

It was a game the Braves had to win. Playing a World Series game at home for the first time since 1999, the Braves needed to capitalize on Anderson’s start, as the team is likely looking at bullpen-heavy games the rest of the weekend.

Anderson, who is still technically a rookie, dazzled over five innings, walking three and striking out four. Houston starter Luis Garcia pitched well, allowing only one run while striking out six in 3.2 innings, but took the loss.

Relievers A.J. Minter and Luke Jackson carried the no-hitter into the 8th before a bloop base hit off the bat of Aledmys Diaz in front of left fielder Eddie Rosario cost the Braves a chance to become the second team in World Series history to throw a no-hitter.

Still, it was a nearly spotless night for the Braves’ bullpen: four scoreless innings, two hits, no walks. Closer Will Smith picked up the save with a scoreless 9th.

The Braves scored in the 3rd when Riley lashed an RBI double down the left field line to score Rosario. The rest of the night was a one-run nail-biter, with d’Arnaud providing much-needed insurance with a 437-foot monster home run to center field in the bottom of the 8th to make it 2-0.

Game 4 is set for tomorrow night at 8:09 p.m. ET.

Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud has made it 2-0 Atlanta with a long home run to center field off Kendall Graveman.

The 437-foot blast was d'Arnaud's second home run of the World Series. He also homered in Game 2.

It took until the eighth inning and it took a blooper dropping in front of an outfielder who appeared to have a play on the ball for the Houston Astros to land their first hit of the game.

Houston's Aledmys Diaz led off the top of the eighth with a flare off Braves reliever Tyler Matzek that barely landed in front of left fielder Eddie Rosario.

The Astros had zero hits through seven innings as the Braves were bidding for the first no-hitter in the World Series since the New York Yankees Don Larsen tossed a perfect game in 1956.

Pitcher Ian Anderson started and went five innings. Relievers A.J. Minter and Luke Jackson each threw one inning. All the Astros had until the eighth were three walks and two hit batsmen.

According to Sarah Langs, a reporter/producer for MLB, Atlanta was the first team with a no-hitter through the first seven innings of a World Series game since the 1967 World Series when Red Sox pitcher Jim Lonborg went 7.2 hitless in Game 2.

Braves RHP Luke Jackson is pitching the 7th as he'll look to keep the no-hitter he inherited from Ian Anderson and A.J. Minter going.

Jackson threw 1.2 scoreless innings in relief in Game 1.

It's still1-0 Braves in the top of the 7th.

Although Ian Anderson is a rookie, and yes, he was about to go a dreaded third time through the Astros' vaunted lineup, it was still surprising to see Braves manager Brian Snitker pull him after five no-hit innings considering the massive workload Atlanta will be putting on its bullpen in the next couple of games.

Anderson is the first rookie to toss at least five no-hit innings in a World Series in 109 years. In 1912, the New York Giants' Jeff Tesreau held the Boston Red Sox hitless for 5.1 innings before Tris Speaker tripled. The Giants lost to Smoky Joe Wood and the Sox 4-3.

On now for the Braves is lefty A.J. Minter, the pitching hero of Game 1, whose critical 2.2 innings to relieve the injured Charlie Morton salvaged a victory.

It's 1-0 Braves as we start the 6th.

Houston Astros starter Luis Garcia had a heavy workload through the first three innings, throwing 70 pitches.

He started the bottom of the fourth smartly, getting the first two batters on two pitches, but manager Dusty Baker felt it was time to pull Garcia and bring in left-handed reliever Blake Taylor to face the left-handed hitter Eddie Rosario.

Garcia left having pitched 3.2 innings, with the Astros trailing 1-0. He struck out six hitters, becoming the first rookie pitcher to have multiple strikeouts in the first three innings of a World Series game.

In what is arguably the most important start for any pitcher in this World Series, Braves’ hurler Ian Anderson is answering the call so far in Game 3, allowing no hits over four scoreless innings.

Here's how important Anderson is: The Braves are without staff ace Charlie Morton for the rest of the series and are looking at at least one bullpen game this weekend in his absence.

That means every inning the Braves can get tonight without using another arm is super important. And Anderson, four innings deep on 67 pitches, is giving them exactly what they need.

It's 1-0 Braves midway through the 4th inning.

A leadoff walk came back to haunt Houston Astros starter Luis Garcia in the bottom of the third as the Braves took the lead.

Eddie Rosario led off with a six-pitch walk then Freddie Freeman singled sharply to left. After Ozzie Albies struck out swinging, cleanup hitter Austin Riley smoked a 0-1 cutter down the left-field line to score Rosario and send Freeman to third. With two on, Jorge Soler walked to load the bases.

But Garcia battled back and got Adam Duvall to pop up to Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel in foul territory and struck out Travis d'Arnaud to end the threat.

The Braves lead 1-0 after three innings but have left six runners on base.

It's a scoreless start to Game 3 as Braves starter Ian Anderson worked around two walks in the top half of the first to keep the Astros off the board.

Astros RHP Luis Garcia returned the favor in the bottom half of the inning, blowing away Austin Riley with a 96 mph fastball to end the frame.

Something to watch: Both pitchers approached 20 pitches in the inning, a sizable workload, especially for Anderson, whom the Braves would like to see give them some length tonight ahead of what is likely to be a heavy bullpen assignment later in the series following the injury to Braves starter Charlie Morton in Game 1.

No score here in the 2nd.