Atlanta Braves win World Series

Atlanta Braves Jorge Soler was named the MVP of the World Series.

Soler becomes just the second Cuban to win the World Series MVP. Marlins pitcher Livan Hernandez won the award in 1997.

Soler delivered three go-ahead home runs for his team during the World Series. His first home run of the series came in the first at-bat of Game 1 — the first time that a player has ever led off a World Series Game 1 with a homer.

Soler turned heads when he blasted a three-run home run in the top of the third inning of the decisive Game 6 off Astros starter Luis Garcia to give the Braves the lead. While Statcast measured that the distance of Soler’s homer was 446 feet, his moonshot sailed out of the ballpark, reminding baseball fans of when Albert Pujols launched a similar-looking home run off Astros closer Brad Lidge in the 2005 National League Championship Series in the same stadium.

Soler is the fourth Brave to have three home runs in a single World Series, joining Hank Aaron (1957), Lonnie Smith (1991) and Ryan Klesko (1995).

For only the second time since the franchise relocated to Atlanta in 1966, the Braves are World Series champions.

Paced by three home runs, and backed by six shutout innings from starter Max Fried, the Braves defeat the Houston Astros 7-0 in Game 6, in the process capturing the crown that had eluded them since 1995.

Designated hitter Jorge Soler, acquired from the Kansas City Royals on July 30, started the scoring off with a bang in the 3rd, launching a towering, 446-foot 3-run homer over the train tracks in left field. Two frames later, shortstop Dansby Swanson followed with a 2-run shot of his own, staking Fried to a comfortable five-run cushion that he'd never relinquish.

Touched up by the Astros for six runs in a Game 2 start, the 27-year-old southpaw rebounded in dramatic fashion for Game 6, scattering four hits over six innings, striking out six Astros, and walking none while failing to allow a single run. Fried's outing marked the longest by a starter, for either team, in the 2021 World Series.

The World Series title is a surprising one for a team that lost its best position player on July 10 when All-Star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. went down with a season-ending knee injury. Atlanta finished the regular season with only 88 wins, fewer than 11 other teams in baseball. And the odds further stacked up against the Braves when Game 1 starting pitcher Charlie Morton broke his leg in just the second inning, ending his World Series. One man who the Braves were never without, however, is Freddie Freeman. And now Freeman's long wait for a title is over.

Drafted by the Braves in 2007, and called up in September of 2010, Freeman has spent more than a decade with the franchise, a run that included a handful of lean years. But Freeman stayed true to the team that chose him, and in Game 6 the Atlanta veteran chipped in with a 5th inning RBI double. Two frames later, Freeman put a stamp on what is likely a Hall of Fame resume, belting the Braves' third homer of the game, and extending Atlanta's lead to 7-0.

A pair of Atlanta relief pitchers — in the form of Tyler Matzek and Will Smith — combined to work a scoreless final three frames, clinching the 7-0 victory and ending a title drought that stretched back more than a quarter-century.

Soler, who launched three World Series home runs — all of which gave the Braves the lead — earned MVP honors, while outfielder Joc Pederson — who was with the world champion LA Dodgers a year ago — wins back-to-back World Series.

The Atlanta Braves beat the Houston Astros in the 2021 World Series.

The Braves take the best-of-seven series 4-2.

It is Atlanta's first World Series title since 1995.

It's the Houston Astros' last chance in Game 6. They have a lot of work to do. Houston is trailing 7-0 going into their last at-bat.

Michael Brantley, Carlos Correa and Yordan Alvarez due up for the Astros.

Braves reliever Tyler Matzek put in two shutout innings of work in the 7th and 8th inning to preserve Atlanta's 7-0 lead in Game 6.

Matzek took over for starter Max Fried, who was lights-out tonight, pitching six scoreless innings for the Braves.

Matzek struck out four and gave up just one hit. He struck out the side in the 8th.

The Braves are now three outs away from the World Series title.

Freddie Freeman made his Major League debut with the Braves in September of 2010. It's been a long 11-year wait, but he's now less than 9 outs away from acquiring the sole missing piece on his likely Hall of Fame resume.

With his mammoth 7th inning blast, Freeman extends Atlanta's Game 6 lead to 7-0, in the process bringing that elusive World Series title that much closer.

On the night, six of the Braves' 7 runs have come courtesy of the long ball, as Freeman followed teammate Jorge Soler and Dansby Swanson's earlier dingers.

It's now 7-0 Braves as the Astros bat in the bottom of the 7th.

With Atlanta Braves Jorge Soler's latest home run in Game 6 of the 2021 World Series, the Cuban-born outfielder becomes the fourth Braves player to hit 3 home runs in a single World Series.

Soler joined Hank Aaron (1957), Lonnie Smith (1991), and Ryan Klesko (1995) on the list.

The Atlanta Braves are nine outs away from the World Series title.

Atlanta's starter has delivered for his team tonight. Max Fried has thrown six scoreless innings, allowing just four singles, no walks and striking out six batters.

Atlanta 6, Houston 0.

The Braves are starting to taste it.

One win away from the franchise's first title in more than a quarter-century, an RBI double by Atlanta mainstay Freddie Freeman extends the Braves' lead to 6-0 in the 5th.

Freeman's blast to left field was deep enough to allow Jorge Soler to score all the way from first, chasing Astros reliever Blake Taylor, and bringing in Houston's fifth pitcher of the game, Phil Maton.

Freeman's RBI comes three batters after shortstop Dansby Swanson belted a 2-run shot to put the Braves up 5-0.

It's now 6-0 Atlanta, as Houston bats in the bottom of the 5th.