The Astros ended the road team madness in the Major League Baseball playoffs.
In 2021, the record of visiting teams in the postseason was a dismal 13-24, beginning with the Yankees’ ouster in the wild card game at Fenway Park in Boston, all the way through the Astros’ anti-climactic 7-0 loss to the Braves in Game 6 of the World Series in Atlanta.
With the new format this season, visiting teams got off to great starts despite not having a home game in the best-of-three wildcard series, which were all played on the home field of higher seeds.
In the National League, the Phillies eliminated the Central Division champ Cardinals in St. Louis and the Padres stunned the Mets in New York.
In the American League, the Mariners took 2 of 3 from the powerful Blue Jays in Toronto. The AL Central champ Guardians were the only home team to advance with a sweep of the slumping Tampa Bay Rays.
Heading into the best-of-five league divisional series, the visiting teams had won 6 of 9 against great odds.
It looked like the same pattern would continue when the Phillies held off a dramatic rally by the Braves in Atlanta, and the Mariners led the Astros throughout their first game at Houston.
But Yordan Alvarez turned the tide on one massive swing in the bottom of the ninth with a three-run walk-off bomb to win their opener 8-7.
The Yankees followed suit with a 4-1 win over Cleveland in the Bronx despite Aaron Judge striking out three times.
And the Dodgers did the same by holding off San Diego in the first game of their series in Los Angeles.
Going into their second games, the home teams were catching up with six wins to seven for the road warriors.
Featured image via Associated Press/Brynn Anderson
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