The Houston Astros are one game from winning the World Series after beating the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Both sides scored early but Jeremy Pena’s fourth-inning home run put the Astros 2-1 ahead in Philadelphia.
Yordan Alvarez drove in another run for Houston in the eighth, but Jean Segura did likewise for the Phillies to set up a tense finale at Citizens Bank Park.
However, Astros pitcher Ryan Pressly held his nerve to complete the win.
Closer Pressly, who threw a five-out save in the bottom of the ninth, was indebted to centre fielder Chas McCormick – a Pennsylvania native and boyhood Phillies fan – who took an astonishing leaping catch high up on the fence.
After a travel day on Friday, the series returns to Houston for the sixth game on Saturday, and a possible deciding seventh on Sunday.
While the four previous games had all featured one team taking a five-run lead, Wednesday’s no-hitter was followed by an absolute nailbiter.
Jose Altuve led off the first inning with a double, made it to third base on a fielding error and was batted in by Pena from only the fourth pitch of the night.
Not to be outdone, Kyle Schwarber smashed only the second pitch the Phillies faced over the right-field fence to level the score.
Pena’s solo homer restored Houston’s lead, and ended the game for pitcher Noah Syndergaard, with the Phillies opting for a ‘bullpen game’ rather than use a conventional starter.
Astros ace Justin Verlander allowed four hits and walked four batters, but struck out six and used all his experience to get through five innings and turn that narrow lead over to the bullpen.
Frustratingly for Houston, Yuli Gurriel reached third base with no outs in the seventh inning, but was injured in a collision with a fielder when caught in a rundown as his team-mates failed to manufacture a run.
After Alvarez made it 3-1, the Phillies rallied in the bottom of the eighth as Segura drove in Nick Castellanos for 3-2.
Both sides then stranded multiple baserunners as the tension mounted but manager Dusty Baker’s gamble on going to Pressly early paid off to put the Astros on the brink of a second title in six years.
