Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson made a set of aggressive decisions that led to the team’s epic Game 1 comeback win.
HOUSTON — It had been months since José Alvarado entered a game any earlier than the sixth inning. The last time he’d been asked to do so was late May—back when he was still mired in some early struggles, before he became one of the most dependable pitchers in this bullpen, even before Rob Thomson was named manager of the Phillies. (Alvarado’s last pre-sixth-inning appearance came in the final week before former skipper Joe Girardi was fired.