Philadelphia Phillies Drop Game 5, Head Back to Houston in Need of Wins

The Philadelphia Phillies sit on the brink of elimination for the first time this postseason.

For the second day in a row, the Philadelphia Phillies were shut down at home by the Houston Astros pitching staff. Noah Syndergaard and the bullpen kept Philadelphia in the game, but the offense could only muster one hit with runners in scoring position all night. The Phillies lost 3-2. 

Things got off to a shaky start, when Syndergaard gave up two quick hits and a run on the first four pitches of the game, but a well-executed "strike 'em out, throw 'em out" double play helped mitigate the damage. The Astros finished their half of the first with a 1-0 lead. 

That lead, however, did not last for long. Kyle Schwarber stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the first and tied things up with one swing, sending Verlander's second pitch into the right field seats. It was a 1-1 ballgame. 

The score remained knotted up until the fourth, when Jeremy Peña took Syndergaard deep, giving the Astros a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish. Houston tacked one more on in the eighth, and Philadelphia answered with a run of their own, but the Phillies were unable to mount a comeback. 

The Astros took Game 5 by a score of 3-2, and they now sit just one win away from a World Series title. The two teams will head back to Minute Maid Park, where the Phillies must win both the final games to stave off elimination. 

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