World Series 2021: Houston Astros beat Atlanta Braves 7-2 to level series at 1-1

Jose Urquidy collected his second World Series win for the Astros, having previously won game four of the 2019 Fall Classic against the Washington Nationals

The Houston Astros hit back to level the seven-game World Series at 1-1 with a dominant 7-2 home win over the Atlanta Braves in game two.

Clinical hitting and some aggressive baserunning kept the hosts in control at a noisy Minute Maid Park.

Meanwhile, right-hander Jose Urquidy gave them a strong start on the mound, striking out seven Braves in five innings while giving up two runs.

Braves starter Max Fried also lasted five innings, but took the loss.

Second baseman Jose Altuve set the tone in the first inning with a lead-off double and reached home on Alex Bregman's sacrifice fly.

Travis D'Arnaud's solo home run levelled the scores, but that was as good as it got for the Braves after Houston, who had struggled offensively in game one, rallied spectacularly in the second inning.

Five hits, a fielding error and a wild pitch combined to manufacture four runs as Houston went 5-1 ahead.

Although Fried stayed in the game and retired the next 10 batters he faced, and Freddie Freeman drove in D'Arnaud to reduce the deficit, the Astros added a couple of insurance runs including Altuve's 22nd post-season homer off reliever Drew Smyly's first pitch in the seventh.

The series now moves to Atlanta, with game three on Friday evening.

At 5ft 6ins, Jose Altuve is the shortest current player in MLB, but only Boston Red Sox legend Manny Ramirez (with 29 from 111 games) has more post-season home runs than Altuve's 22 from 75

The Astros have been cheered on in the post-season by a group of nuns from the Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province, who have become known as the 'Rally Nuns'

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