‘It’s sweet’: Philadelphia area native Chas McCormick sparks Astros’ winning rally

PHILADELPHIA — This week, Chas McCormick admitted, has been organized chaos.

“Yeah, it sucks,” the Astros’ center fielder said Wednesday night, before flashing a big grin.

“I’m just kidding — I love being here,” McCormick said. “But it’s a lot.”

“Here” is familiar turf. Roughly 30 miles west of Citizens Bank Park is McCormick’s hometown of West Chester, Pa.

But he hasn’t been there since arriving in town Sunday. After all, this is a business trip.

McCormick was the catalyst in making sure the Astros took care of business Wednesday, sparking the five-run fifth inning that backed a four-pitcher no-hitter in a 5-0 victory in Game 4 of the World Series to even the best-of-7 set and guarantee a return to Minute Maid Park for Game 6.

“Being back home, playing at Citizens Bank Park for the first time in the World Series, it’s special,” McCormick said. “I’m looking forward to (Game 5 on Thursday). I love it.

“It’s been crazy. It’s been a lot. It’s been emotional, but it’s been fun. You try to enjoy every second of it. It doesn’t happen that much, Astros-Phillies. It may never happen again.”

Entering the fifth inning, the Astros had been shut out for 16 consecutive frames going back to Game 2. McCormick got things started against Phillies starter Aaron Nola, who had struck him out in his first at-at.

“I was just looking curveball,” McCormick said. “My first at-bat, he was throwing a lot of curveballs. Second at-bat, he threw two heaters and I knew eventually, he’d throw me one (curve). I was happy to stay back (and) put it through the hole.”

The infield single deep to the shortstop was followed by base hits from Jose Altuve and Jeremy Peña to load the bases. McCormick then had an easy trot home when Yordan Alvarez was hit by a pitch to force in Houston’s first run.

It turned out to be the only one they needed on a night when starter Cristian Javier dominated for six innings before Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly completed the no-hitter.

Center field was a major concern for the Astros when the playoffs started. McCormick started the postseason opener, was benched for the next game but has been a mainstay in the lineup since Game 3 against Seattle.

The playoff run has culminated with a visit to his old stomping grounds. He never played at Citizens Bank Park while at Henderson High School or Millersville University, a 90-mile west of the stadium.

The visit home has jogged memories of his youth spent rooting on the Phillies. Before the series, he divulged his go-to orders at Wawa, the famed regional convenience store (meatball sub and Buffalo chicken cheesesteak), Then after Wednesday’s game, McCormick recounted details from Roy Halladay’s no-hitter at the ballpark in the opening game of the 2010 playoffs, noting it was the year he won a state championship as a Henderson freshman. 

Members of the Phillies’ teams from that golden age, especially the 2008 championship squad, have been fixtures at the ballpark this week. Before Game 4, the franchise’s iconic middle infield duo of Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins threw out ceremonial first pitches. 

“It’s crazy — I can’t take my eyes off the screen,” McCormick said. “I love the Sixers, love the Eagles. Seeing a bunch of Sixers and Eagles there, it feels like I’m home. And I am home. It’s sweet.”

The goal was to keep his ticket list under 20, It’s at roughly 15, split between McCormick’s family and his girlfriend’s. But distractions like that are put in the rear-view mirror during a work trip.

“You’ve got to play baseball,” McCormick said. “You’ve got a shot to win the World Series. You block that (other stuff) out. There’s nothing more important than winning games here in the World Series and you just try to get that out of the way, 

“Get your tickets in and figure that out on your own earlier. But when you get to the field, you don’t worry about that stuff.”

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