If he goes middle or middle out, we’re trying to lift it over to the opposite side.” “Especially for the right-handed hitters. “Yeah, he’s obviously a pitcher who induces a lot of ground balls, but I think our approach was the same, just try to get it up in the air and hit a fly ball,” Soler added. “Obviously, he’s not going to give you too many, but just try to shrink our zone, seam up, and try to hit a fly ball because his sinkers are so good and his curveball is going straight down as well.
“I think our game plan was to try to get really good pitches to hit,” Duvall said of facing Valdez. Valdez allowed eight hits and five runs and retired just six batters in two-plus innings. The Braves added another run in the second and then two more in the third on a two-run home run by Adam Duvall that chased Astros starter Framber Valdez from the game. “The energy was amazing and electric, especially after we took a 1-0 lead after that home run,” Soler said. The Braves added another run in the first as Ozzie Albies scored on an Austin Riley double to make it 2-0. Soler became the first player ever to homer in the first plate appearance of Game 1 of the World Series. Jorge Soler got things started quickly with a leadoff home run on the third pitch of the game. Grant McAuley and Cory McCartney breakdown Atlanta’s Game 1 win, the loss of Charlie Morton and more!
