The Atlanta Braves are looking to close out the Houston Astros and the 2021 World Series on Sunday night. Outfielder Adam Duvall did his part early to help the cause. You can follow along here for live updates, analysis and more throughout Game 5.
Duvall, one of several deadline additions the Braves made to their outfield, came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning. He promptly emptied those bases with an opposite-field grand slam on the first pitch.
Take a look:
Per Statcast’s calculations, Duvall’s home run left the bat traveling at 106 mph. The ball then carried some 377 feet.
According to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, Duvall’s is the ninth first-inning grand slam in postseason history. Teams who have hit them are 7-1, although the one loss came earlier this October, when Jordan Luplow and the Tampa Bay Rays dropped Game 2 of their American League Division Series to the Boston Red Sox. (The Astros, by the way, are the first team in postseason history to give up two first-inning grand slams in the same postseason, per Jayson Stark of The Athletic.)
The Braves acquired Duvall from the Miami Marlins at the deadline. He hit .226/.287/.513 (104 OPS+) with 16 home runs after the trade, giving him a seasonal line of .228/.281/.491 (102 OPS+) and 38 home runs. This year marked the third time in Duvall’s career he’s launched at least 30 home runs during a single season.
In addition to Duvall, the Braves also traded for Jorge Soler, Eddie Rosario, and Joc Pederson at the deadline. Each of the four have provided a memorable moment or two during Atlanta’s postseason run, which makes for an interesting World Series MVP race.
The Braves entered Sunday night’s Game 5 with a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. A victory will give the Braves their first World Series title since 1995.
