(SportsRadio 610) - For the second time in six seasons, the Houston Astros are Major League Baseball's World Series champions.
The Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in six games, wrapping up the series Saturday night with a 4-1 victory at Minute Maid Park.
They did it on the strength of starter Framber Valdez and slugger Yordan Alvarez, whose three-run shot to center field in the sixth inning gave Houston a commanding lead over Philadelphia.
Valdez gave up just two hits, including a solo shot by Kyle Schwarber to right field to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the top half of the sixth.
But that was it. Otherwise, Valdez was strong, retiring 10 straight at one point and recording nine strikeouts in the game.
The bottom half of the sixth saw Martin Maldonado lead off being hit by a pitch. The Phillies challenged the call, suggesting Maldonado did not do enough to get out of the way as he hovered over the plate, but the call stood.
Jose Altuve then grounded into a force out and Jeremy Pena hit a single to put runners on the corners with just one out for Alvarez.
The rest is history.
Hector Neris, Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly each pitched an inning to close it out.