Justin Verlander finally got his first World Series victory, Jeremy Peña carried the offense and Houston has Philadelphia on the ropes as it heads home for Game 6.
Jose Altuve, Yuli Gurriel and Alex Bregman have reached the A.L.C.S. in six straight seasons. Through triumph and scandal, they have taught a rotating cast of teammates how to win.
Houston set the tone against Philadelphia with three straight hits to start the game, giving Framber Valdez and the Astros bullpen all the support they needed for a big win at home.
A fly ball in the ninth inning could easily have been a winning hit for Houston, but Nick Castellanos made a long run and a sliding catch, just has he had done against Atlanta.