World Series 2022: Astros-Phillies matchup is guaranteed to snap a streak closely tied to each team

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- It's crazy to think that if it wasn't for the MLB lockout, the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies facing off with each other during this past regular season would be a distant memory - a six-month-old memory to be exact.

The two World Series combatants were slated to begin 2022 against each other. Their three-game series would have started on March 31, taken an off day on April 1, and then resumed with the final two games on April 2-3.

The reality, though, is owners locked out their players until a new collective-bargaining agreement got ironed out, and Houston's first seven games got shifted elsewhere on the schedule, including to the magical baseball month of October.

Here come the fun facts between two teams who finished the regular season against each other and will finish the MLB season entirely when one of them wins four games.

Phillies had to beat the Astros to get into postseason

If the same two teams had the 2021 playoff formatting, the Astros would definitely be in while the Phillies would be one spot short of the postseason.

But that alone shouldn't alarm Astros fans.

When the two teams began their shifted series on Oct. 3, Philadelphia was in a win-and-in situation for any of the three games left in their season.

If the Phillies didn't win, they would need help to get into the sixth seed. Luckily for them, Aaron Nola, who is slated to start World Series Game 1, and his bullpen blanked the 'Stros, 3-0.

Significant about that night was that the Astros flashed a "congratulations" graphic on the Minute Maid Park videoboard. They also allowed the Phillies to pop champagne in the visiting clubhouse to celebrate.

The berth into the playoffs is their first in 11 years. This World Series is their first in 13 years. It remains to be seen if they'll win their first World Series in 14 years.

Astros and Phillies represent each other's 'last'

Both teams are on fire heading into the Fall Classic, but both can claim each other as their last point of futility.

That Oct. 3 loss is the last time the Astros dropped a game. Houston is on a nine-game win streak since the club defeated Philadelphia on Oct. 4.

And the rest is history for them. The Astros become the third team in modern MLB history to sweep through the first two rounds heading into the World Series. They'll try to make history as the only team to go undefeated in route of a championship.

In case you're also wondering, the Astros' longest win streak of the season was 11 games from May 2 to May 13.

Meanwhile, the Phillies had to win three straight playoff series to get the chance to play for the Commissioner's Trophy.

The last team to beat them in a series? The Houston Astros, who closed out their three-gamer with victories on the final two days of the regular season.

What's guaranteed this World Series is that one of these streaks will be broken.

2022 World Series schedule: Astros vs. Phillies

• Game 1: at Houston, Friday, Oct. 28, 7:03 p.m.
• Game 2: at Houston, Saturday, Oct. 29, 7:03 p.m.
• Game 3: at Philadelphia, Monday, Oct. 31, 7:03 p.m.
• Game 4: at Philadelphia, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 7:03 p.m.
• Game 5*: at Philadelphia, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 7:03 p.m.
• Game 6*: at Houston, Friday, Nov. 4, 7:03 p.m.
• Game 7*: at Houston, Saturday, Nov. 5, 7:03 p.m.

* if necessary

More Astros stories during 2022 World Series run:

• Astros pitchers Framber Valdez and Luis Garcia rock hair extensions for MLB postseason hairdos
• Astros' star Yordan Alvarez family sees him play in postseason for the first time
• Rally nuns return to Minute Maid Park to cheer on Houston Astros
• Astros-Yankees predictions: Who will rule the ALCS?
• Houston restaurant's potty humor comes at Yankees' expense
• Bronx Bombers vs. Bayou City: Looking at the Astros-Yankees rivalry
• Major League melting pot: Looking at the demographics of the Houston Astros
• Astros' Yordan Alvarez merchandise flying off shelves in wake of playoff heroics
• Astros fan claims to have quit job to attend ALCS Game 2
• Bizarre moment during ALCS Game 2 after Astros fan storms field to take selfie with Altuve
• Gone with the wind: Yankees manager says Minute Maid Park's roof open 'kind of killed us'
• Houston sweeps for a 4th trip to the World Series
• Astros land in Houston ahead of World Series
• 2022 MLB World Series, 42 years in the making
• World Series tickets already selling out before Houston clinches ALCS
• Houston won't host just 1 Philadelphia team on World Series week
• Astros watch parties return as World Series tickets range $600-$17K
• Jeremy Peña stops by Irma's in downtown Houston after returning from clinching World Series berth
• Cheer on the Astros advancing to the World Series by eating a 25-cent themed doughnut
• Ghouls and grand slams? The neighborhood around Minute Maid Park could be haunted
• Astros outfielder Chas McCormick is a twin and grew up a Phillies fan