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Phillies Fall to Astros in World Series

Citizens Bank Park crowd stunned as Astros end Phillies playoff run

The Philadelphia Phillies' magical playoff run came to an end on Saturday night, as they fell to the Houston Astros 4-1 in Game 6 of the World Series at Citizens Bank Park. Despite a valiant effort from the Phillies, the Astros' offense proved too much to handle, as they scored three runs in the second inning and cruised to victory.

Schwarber's homer not enough for Phillies

Kyle Schwarber gave the Phillies an early 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the first inning, but the Astros answered back quickly. Jeremy Peña tied the game with a sacrifice fly in the second inning, and Yordan Alvarez gave the Astros the lead with a two-run double later in the inning.

The Phillies had a chance to tie the game in the fourth inning, but Brandon Marsh grounded into a double play with runners on first and second. The Astros added an insurance run in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly by Chas McCormick, and the Phillies were unable to mount a comeback.

Bryce Harper, who missed the first two games of the World Series with a broken thumb, returned to the lineup for the Phillies but was held hitless in four at-bats. Nick Castellanos also struggled, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

Astros celebrate first World Series title since 2017

The Astros, meanwhile, celebrated their first World Series title since 2017. They became the first team to win a World Series after losing the first two games at home since the 2019 Washington Nationals.

Justin Verlander, who was named the World Series MVP, pitched six strong innings for the Astros, allowing just one run on three hits. The Astros' bullpen also turned in a solid performance, with four relievers combining to allow just one hit over the final three innings.

The Phillies' loss marks the end of a remarkable season. They finished with a 87-75 record, and they won their first National League pennant since 2009. However, they were unable to overcome the Astros in the World Series, and they will now look to build on this season's success in 2023.