Houston Astros

Astros' World Series clincher most remembered for impact on storm-battered Houston 5 years later

Houston was two months removed from Hurricane Harvey's devastation when the Astros restored hope to the city.

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Elissa Rivas wraps up the Astros parade from downtown

PREVIOUS VIDEO: Look back on ABC13's coverage of the Astros' World Series championship parade that took place on Nov. 3, 2017.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Houston Astros are spending the fifth anniversary of their first World Series championship doing what else than to win another one.

The video above is from the Nov. 3, 2017, championship parade following the 2017 World Series' end.

With Game 3 looking like a certainty to be played on Tuesday after a Monday night rainout, the four-time American League pennant winners gave their fans, detractors, and basically any unbiased baseball observer a reminder of the championship moment.

The ballclub posted a 13-second video of former Astros pitcher Charlie Morton inducing Los Angeles Dodgers batter Corey Seager into a groundout to Jose Altuve, representing the final out of Game 7 in LA.

Of course, as MLB revealed almost three years later, the championship capped off a year that wasn't entirely played fairly, which is something fans in ballparks that aren't Minute Maid Park have never let the Astros live down to this day.

But, for just that one night on Nov. 1, 2017, the Astros' victory allowed a city that was two months removed from Hurricane Harvey to celebrate that franchise's first championship since entering the majors in 1962.

The Houston Astros celebrate with the trophy after their win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of baseball's World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017, in Los Angeles.
AP Photo/Alex Gallardo

As far as whether the sign-stealing scandal elevated to the point of championship-stripping, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said he would uphold the "long tradition in baseball of not trying to change what happened."

"I think the answer from our perspective is to be transparent about what the investigation showed, and let our fans make their own decision about what happened," Manfred said in January 2020 interview.

The Astros would fire general manager Jeff Luhnow, who was - and arguably still is - the architect of the roster, and manager AJ Hinch, who guided the team's success.

The scandal wouldn't necessarily keep the Astros from competing deep in the postseason. The current GM and manager, James Click and Dusty Baker, have spearheaded three additional AL Championship Series teams after the 2020 MLB findings.

Houston is in the midst of seeking a redemptive second championship. Will it happen? The Astros are three wins away.