HOUSTON — All week, Justin Verlander insisted that he cared more about winning Game 1 of the World Series than he did about erasing his legacy of failures in those moments. On Friday, he did neither.
The Astros, perhaps the most menacing baseball team in the modern era, who had begun openly discussing whether they could tear through an undefeated postseason, handed their ace a five-run lead in the third inning. Two frames later, Verlander had given it all back. By the time the night was over, the Phillies had won 6–5 in 10 innings.
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