Braves vs. Astros final score, results: Atlanta pitchers miss no-hit bid but blank Houston for World Series Game 3 win

It wasn’t a screaming liner to the gap. It wasn’t sent over the fence for a home run. It wasn’t even an infield single beaten out by pure speed.

Astros pinch hitter Aledmys Diaz lofted a 98.2 mph fastball from Braves reliever Tyler Matzek 70.7 mph off the bat with a 39 degree launch angle. The ball traveled 232 feet. Yet, in the top of the eighth inning, that was all it took to break up the combined no-hitter Atlanta had been spinning against Houston in Game 3 of the World Series.

But that hit was one of only two on the night for the Astros as their bats were quieted by a stellar outing from starter Ian Anderson and a shutdown performance from the bullpen. An RBI double from Austin Riley in the third and a solo homer by Travis d’Arnaud in the eighth was all the run production Atlanta would need as it won 2-0 on Friday night to take a 2-1 series lead.

MORE: Why did the Braves pull Ian Anderson?

Anderson, who entered the start with a career 1.47 postseason ERA, shined through five innings. He allowed just three walks and struck out four as he kept the Astros out of the hit column.

After he exited prior to the start of the sixth, A.J. Minter and Luke Jackson kept the hitless run going as the relievers each pitched an inning. Matzek allowed the leadoff single to Diaz but escaped his inning without any runs coming across. Will Smith finished the job in the ninth.

The only run the Braves needed came early. Eddie Rosario led off the third with a walk and moved up to second on a single by Freddie Freeman. After a strikeout, Riley doubled down the left field line to score Rosario and give Atlanta the lead. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, d’Arnaud hit a solo shot to deep center to give the Braves an insurance run.

The Braves now hold the advantage in the series with two games still to play in Atlanta.

Sporting News tracked live scoring updates and highlights from Braves vs. Astros in the 2021 World Series. Follow below for complete results from Game 3.

MORE: Watch 2021 World Series games live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

Braves vs. Astros final score

Braves vs. Astros updates, highlights from 2021 World Series

11:36 p.m. End of Game:  Tucker flies out to center, and the Braves win 2-0. They now lead the World Series 2-1.

11:34 p.m.:  Correa lifts a fly ball to right for Duvall, and the Astros are down to their final out.

11:32 p.m.:  Riley ranges deep down the left field line, but he settles under the popup in foul territory off the bat of Alvarez for the first out of the inning.

11:31 p.m.:  Bregman shoots a base hit the other way, beating the left-heavy shift to reach first to leadoff the ninth against Smith.

11:26 p.m. End of Eighth:  Swanson strikes out, and this game heads to the ninth. Will Smith will come in trying to nail down the win for the Braves.

11:24 p.m. Braves’ scoring play:  What a huge insurance run. d’Arnaud launches a 97 mph sinker from Graveman over the center field wall for a 437 foot home run.  Braves extend lead to 2-0.

11:23 p.m.:  Kendall Graveman gets Duvall swinging for the second out.

11:21 p.m.:  Correa makes a sliding stop on the 109.9 mph grounder from Soler, and Gurriel makes the scoop on the other end to set down the first Brave batter in the eighth.

11:17 p.m. End Top Eighth:  Brantley pops out to third. Matzek leaves the runner at third, and the Braves now just need three outs to win Game 3.

11:15 p.m.:  Jose Siri, who came in as the pinch runner for Diaz, steals second and advances to third as d’Arnaud’s throw skips into center field. Runner on third now for Brantley.

11:14 p.m.:  Altuve lifts a popup into foul territory, and Riley makes the catch for the second out. Brantley due up for Houston.

11:13 p.m.:  Matzek blows 98 mph fastball past the pinch hitter Jason Castro for the first out. Altuve and the top of the order due up.

11:08 p.m.: There goes the no-no bid. Diaz drops in a single that falls just between Rosario and Swanson. According to Baseball Savant , that ball had an 85 percent catch probability.

11:07 p.m.:  The Astros bring in Aledmys Diaz to pinch hit for Maldonado.

11:03 p.m. End of Eighth:  Stanek gets Riley swinging for the third out of the seventh. Tyler Matzek coming in to face Maldonado, a pinch hitter and Altuve.

10:59 p.m.:  Albies pulls a screamer, but it’s caught by Correa for the second out of the inning. With Riley due up, Baker hands the ball to right-hander Ryne Stanek.

10:58 p.m.:  Freeman rolls one to Correa playing up the middle in the shift, and he’s thrown out to start the bottom half of the seventh.

10:54 p.m. End Top Seventh:  Nice backhand by Riley to field the hard grounder from Gurriel and a pick on the other end by Freeman keeps the Astros out of the hit column in the seventh.

10:53 p.m.:  Tucker hits a liner to the outfield, but it hangs up long enough for Duvall to make the catch. That ball came off the bat at 108.9 mph.

10:51 p.m.:  Correa grounds the 2-2 slider out to Albies, who throws him out for the first out in the seventh.

10:49 p.m.:  Luke Jackson is the new arm for Atlanta as the Astros seek their first base hit.

10:46 p.m. End of Sixth:  Tucker lays out to make an incredible diving catch to rob Rosario of a hit.

10:41 p.m.:  Pinch hitter Erihe Adrianza grounds out to second, but with Rosario due up, Baker will turn to Brooks Raley to set up the lefty-lefty matchup.

10:38 p.m.:  Swanson gets jammed and flies out to Alvarez in left.

10:33 p.m. End Top Sixth:  Minter gets Alvarez swinging on an 89 mph cutter to end the inning.

10:28 p.m.:  Bregman was hit by a 97 mph pitch right on his ankle and sends him to the ground. After he’s checked on by Dusty Baker and the training staff, he makes his way over to first.

10:27 p.m.:  Brantley grounds out to Freeman for the second out of the inning.

10:24 p.m.:  Minter sets Altuve down swinging to start the sixth.

10:22 p.m.:  It is indeed Minter coming in to face the top of the Astros’ order.

10:19 p.m. End of Fifth:  d’Arnaud keeps Gurriel moving as he too sends one over to the Astros’ first baseman, who steps on the bag himself to end the inning.

10:15 p.m.:  Duvall grounds one up the middle that Altuve is able to reach and make a throw on, but it’s a bit offline and Duvall is able to reach on the infield single.

10:12 p.m.:  It looks like Anderson’s night is over, and when the Braves take the field again, it will be A.J. Minter coming out of the bullpen. If his night is over, Anderson pitched five no-hit innings with three walks and four strikeouts.

10:12 p.m.:  Soler takes a two-out walk.

10:10 p.m.:  Gurriel is staying busy over at first. He makes a nice pick on a 92.3 mph grounder off the bat of Riley, and takes it to first himself for the second out.

10:09 p.m.:  Houston has a new pitcher on the mound, Yimi Garcia, who immediately gets Albies to ground out to first.

10:05 p.m. End Top Fifth:  Gonzalez is called out on strikes on a changeup down and away. Anderson is now through five hitless innings.

10:04 p.m.:  Marwin Gonzalez comes in to pinch hit, ending Taylor’s evening.

10:03 p.m.:  Maldonado hits a hard liner up the middle, but Albies, playing just to the left of second, snags it for the lineout.

10:02 p.m.:  Gurriel starts the fifth with a flyout to right.

9:58 p.m. End of Fourth:  Taylor gets Freeman swinging to end the inning.

9:56 p.m.:  Rosario gets the better of the lefty-lefty matchup, lining a single to left to bring Freeman to the plate.

9:52 p.m.:  With Rosario due up, southpaw Blake Taylor is coming in to replace Garcia. The rookie finishes his night with one run allowed on three hits and four walks over 3.2 innings. He struck out six.

9:51 p.m.:  Liner by Anderson, but right at Gurriel for the second out.

9:50 p.m.:  Swanson lifts the first pitch he sees in the fourth straight back, and Maldonado is able to make the grab in foul territory.

9:46 p.m. End Top Fourth:  Tucker taps one back to the mound, and Anderson is able to field it and throw Tucker out to end the frame.

9:45 p.m.:  Correa’s jersey is grazed by a pitch from Anderson, and Tucker will bat now against Anderson with two on and two out.

9:41 p.m.:  Alvarez takes a walk to give the Astros a two-out baserunner. He’s the first Houston baserunner since the first.

9:39 p.m.:  Bregman flies out to center. Anderson keeps rolling.

9:36 p.m.: Anderson starts the fourth out by getting Brantley swinging.

9:32 p.m. End of Third:  Garcia gets d’Arnaud to go around at strike three, and he limits the damage to just one run. Braves strand the bases loaded.

9:28 p.m.:  Garcia picks up another huge out as Duvall pops out to Gurriel in foul territory for the second out. d’Arnaud due up.

9:25 p.m.:  Soler holds up in time and Duvall will now bat with the bases loaded. Pitching coach Brent Strom comes out to talk to Garcia.

9:21 p.m. Braves’ scoring play:  Riley delivers again, driving a base hit inside the third-base line and past a diving Bregman to score Rosario. Riley at second with a double, Freeman held up at third.  Braves take a 1-0 lead.

9:19 p.m.:  Filthy changeup gets Albies out in front for the first out of the inning. Garcia is now a double play away from getting out of the jam.

9:13 p.m.:  Freeman lines a base hit into center, and the Braves now have runners on first and second with no one out for Albies.

9:11 p.m.:  This time, Rosario checks his swing enough to take the full-count walk. He’s on to start the inning with Freeman coming up to bat.

9:05 p.m. End Top Third:  No debate on this swing: Altuve can’t hold up as he tries to check his swing on a high fastball.

9:03 p.m.:  Garcia grounds out to second on the first pitch he sees, and Anderson has picked up a quick two outs.

9:02 p.m.:  Martin Maldonado grounds one softly to Riley at third for the first out. 

8:57 p.m. End of Second:  Anderson goes down swinging to end the inning.

8:55 p.m.: Astros choose to intentionally walk Swanson, bringing Anderson up to the plate with two out and two aboard.

8:54 p.m.:  Travis d’Arnaud ropes a double into right, bouncing it off the wall at an estimated 355 feet to give the Braves a two-out baserunner.

8:51 p.m.:  Adam Duvall scorches a grounder — 104.2 mph, the hardest hit ball in this game so far — but it’s right at Bregman, who throws him out at first.

8:48 p.m.:  Another Brave is called out on a checked swing as this time the first-base umpire rings up Soler.

8:44 p.m. End Top Second:  Yuli Gurriel is caught looking at strike three on a changeup to retire the side.

8:42 p.m.:  Kyle Tucker also lifts a high fly to right, this one caught by Riley, who was shifted heavy to the right.

8:39 p.m.:  Carlos Correa starts the second by flying out to Jorge Soler in right.

8:35 p.m. End of First: Luis Garcia works back from a 3-0 count to Austin Riley to get the Braves’ third baseman swinging to end the inning.

8:31 p.m.:  Ball outside and Ozzie Albies reaches first with a two-out walk.

8:27 p.m.:  Freddie Freeman flies out to Alvarez in left.

8:27 p.m.:  Home plate umpire Tom Hallion doesn’t need a third-base umpire to appeal the call. He rings up Eddie Rosario on a swinging strike three.

8:20 p.m. End Top First:  Yordan Alvarez flies out to left to end the top half of the inning.

8:19 p.m.:  Second walk issued in the inning by Anderson as Bregman lays off a ball in the dirt.

8:16 p.m.:  Grounder back to the mound off the bat of Michael Brantley is fielded by Ian Anderson, and he starts the 1-6-3 double play.

8:14 p.m.:  Jose Altuve takes a ball low to lead off the game with a walk.

8:12 p.m.:  The first pitch is low for a ball, and Game 3 is underway.

8:02 p.m.:  Braves honor Hank Aaron before the start of the game. Hank Aaron Jr. threw out the first pitch.

7:45 p.m.:  As first pitch nears, here’s a look at the starting lineups for the two teams.

7:24 p.m.:  Braves are saying the World Series game will start on time.

7:06 p.m.:  For those concerned about the start of the game, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi offers some promising news.

World Series start time today

• Time: 8:09 p.m. ET

The World Series Game 3 first pitch between the Astros and Braves is set for 8:09 p.m. ET on Friday.

How to watch the 2021 World Series

• TV channel (U.S.): Fox
• TV channel (Canada): Sportsnet
• Live stream: fuboTV

All the World Series games will be broadcast on Fox in the United States, and on Sportsnet in Canada. On the Fox broadcast, Joe Buck will handle play-by-play with John Smoltz providing analysis in the booth and reporters Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci at field level.

Streamers can find the game on the Fox Sports Go app, or by using fuboTV, which comes with a seven-day free trial .

World Series schedule 2021

* If necessary.

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