Alvarez blasts Astros to World Series title

HOUSTON (AP) — Yordan Alvarez hit a towering three-run homer and the Houston Astros clinched their second World Series title in six seasons with a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6. That also gave 73-year-old manager Dusty Baker his first title in 25 seasons as a manager, the last three in Houston. The 450-foot blast in the sixth inning was the first time the Cuban slugger went deep since the first two games this postseason. It made a winner out of Yordan Alvarez, who had allowed Kyle Schwarber’s solo shot in the top of the sixth.

HOUSTON (AP) — For now and forever, Dusty Baker, the epic storyteller, first-class name-dropper, toothpick chewer and baseball lifer will bear a most distinguished title. World Series champion manager. The man who can weave a tale like few others, wistfully recalling his time under Hank Aaron’s tutelage or chance encounters with Jimi Hendrix, John F. Kennedy Jr. and countless more, completed the only missing chapter in his own story Saturday night. After 25 seasons as a big league skipper peppered with a couple of painful near-misses, the 73-year-old Baker finally made it all the way home when his Houston Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies to win the title.

Astros’ Peña 1st rookie hitter to win World Series MVP

HOUSTON (AP) — Jeremy Peña became the first rookie position player to win a World Series MVP after hitting .400 in the Houston Astros’ six-game victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. The 25-year-old shortstop singled to chase Zack Wheeler in Game 6, giving the Astros two baserunners for the first time Saturday night. Yordan Alvarez followed with a go-ahead, three-run homer that sent the Astros to a 4-1 victory. Peña also won a Gold Glove and was the AL Championship Series MVP. He’s the first hitter to win those three awards in a career, according to OptaSTATS, and he did it all in his rookie season.

Phils go quietly in Series finale as bopper becomes bunter

HOUSTON (AP) — Kyle Schwarber went from big bopper to bad bunter. One of the Philadelphia Phillies’ most fearsome sluggers popped up foul on a two-strike bunt attempt with his team one inning from World Series elimination. That bizarre strikeout spoke more loudly than Schwarber’s third Series homer, which briefly put Philadelphia ahead Saturday night. After taking a 2-1 lead in the Fall Classic, the Phillies lost three in a row, the last a 4-1 defeat that gave Houston the World Series title in six games.