Houston Astros & Philadelphia Phillies World Series Bound

The 2022 American League pennant has a Texas flag flying alongside it this year as the Houston Astros made the American League Championship Series look easy with 106 wins and sweeping all three games against the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS and all four games against the New York Yankees in the ALCS.

The Astros roster features an experienced group that understands the pressure of playing in October, but the team credits the clubhouse culture they've developed over the years for helping them make run after run deep into the postseason.

"I don't say this lightly, but this team, I can feel it, man," said Astros starter Lance McCullers, who went five innings and allowed four runs, three earned, and struck out six in Game 4. "We want it. Like, we really, really want it. Deep down, we want this."

The superstar the Philadelphia Phillies brought in years ago to turn around a team stuck in mediocrity delivered one of the biggest home runs in franchise history Sunday.

Bryce Harper's two-run, rocket shot of a home run to left field in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Phillies a 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, sending Philadelphia to its first World Series since 2009.

Baseball loves its records and unique accomplishments, and here's a new one: The Phillies are the first sixth seed to reach a World Series.

Houston hosts the Phillies in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday at Minute Maid Park.

Follow the World Series here on ESPN 102.3/AM 1000 KSOO.