The World Series began with a bang. For the first time ever, the first batter of the Fall Classic hit a home run. Jorge Soler’s lead-off blast was the first blow in Atlanta’s early Game 1 barrage. The Braves scored in each of the first three innings—two in the first, one in the second, two in the third—and knocked out Astros top starter Framber Valdez after he had recorded just six outs.
The 6–2 final score does not reflect what was actually a lopsided affair. Like Houston, Atlanta also was forced to go to its bullpen early, but this was not because starter Charlie Morton was struggling.