When it comes to the MLB World Series, we have already discussed how winning Game 3 gives that team the win roughly 69 percent of the time.
It’s universally seen as a pivotal game.
However, if the series is tied at 2-2 when Game 5 comes, the latter becomes even more important than the third of the series.
The numbers back that up.
“In all best-of-seven series tied 2-2, the Game 5 winner has won the series 45 of 64 times (70%),” MLB stats expert Sarah Langs tweeted.
In all best-of-seven series tied 2-2, the Game 5 winner has won the series 45 of 64 times (70%)
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) November 3, 2022
In other words, the squad that wins Game 5 tonight between the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies, will have a 70 percent chance of taking home the 2022 Fall Classic.
Game 5 Is Definitely Crucial
It sounds logical: winning Game 5 while being knotted at two gives that team a third victory, providing themselves with two chances (Games 6 and 7) to seal the deal.
Both organizations understand the importance of tonight’s tilt.
The Phillies are sending right-hander Noah Syndergaard to the mound on Thursday night at Citizens Bank Park, while the Astros are hoping their ace Justin Verlander can pitch like his regular season self (1.75 ERA) and not like his career World Series self (6.07 ERA).
Both teams will have stellar options available for Game 6, as Zack Wheeler and Framber Valdez are expected to take the ball on Saturday night.
To get to that game with the best chances of winning, however, the two sides will want to take Game 5 tonight.
As the number of games (two) and runs scored (15) by both teams indicate, the Astros and Phillies are awfully close in most aspects, certainly more than we all expected.
We are reaching a point in which every pitch, every error, and every hit matters.
That’s the case in extremely close series, and this is definitely one of them.
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