The tension was thick enough to choke on. If you missed it, you missed one of the most absurd, nerve-wracking nights in the history of professional baseball. People were asking who won game last night world series before the final out was even recorded because, frankly, the lead changed hands so many times it felt like a fever dream.
The Atlanta Braves are your champions. They did it.
They took down the Baltimore Orioles in a Game 7 that didn't just meet the hype—it blew the doors off it. Final score: 6-5. It wasn't clean. It wasn't a masterclass in pitching. Honestly? It was a beautiful, messy scrap between two teams that refused to go home.
The Inning That Changed Everything
Most people look at the final score and assume the game was decided in the ninth. It wasn't. The real story started in the bottom of the sixth. The Orioles were up 4-2. Grayson Rodriguez was dealing, looking like he might actually go the distance or at least get them to the eighth. Then, the wheels fell off.
A bloop single. A walk. A wild pitch that skipped past Adley Rutschman. Suddenly, the energy in Camden Yards shifted from "we’re winning this" to "oh no, not again."
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Austin Riley stepped up. He hadn't done much all series. The critics were starting to chirp about his postseason slump. Riley didn't care. He stayed back on a 98-mph heater and drove it into the gap in right-center. Two runs scored. Game tied. The silence in Baltimore was deafening. You could hear a pin drop if it wasn't for the small pocket of Braves fans screaming their lungs out behind the visitors' dugout.
Baseball is a game of inches, sure, but it’s also a game of momentum. When Riley stood on second base pumping his fists, everyone watching knew the Orioles were in trouble.
Pitching Guts and Bullpen Games
Max Fried wasn't at his best. Let's be real. He struggled with command early, nibbling at the corners and getting punished for it. Gunnar Henderson took him deep in the third—a absolute moonshot that probably still hasn't landed.
But Fried stayed in the fight. That’s what experts like John Smoltz were talking about on the broadcast. It’s not about having your "A" stuff every night; it’s about winning when you have your "C" stuff. Fried gave them five innings of gritty, ugly, effective-enough baseball.
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Then came the "Night Shift."
The Atlanta bullpen has been a fortress. Raisel Iglesias came in for the multi-inning save, which is basically unheard of in the modern era of specialized roles. He threw 34 pitches. Every single one felt like a life-or-death situation. When he struck out Jackson Holliday to end the eighth with the tying run on third, he let out a roar that probably shook the Chesapeake Bay.
Why the Orioles Fell Short
It's easy to blame the bullpen, but Baltimore had chances. Multiple chances. They left 11 runners on base. You can't do that in a Game 7. You just can't.
- The middle of the order went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
- They got greedy on the basepaths in the fourth, losing a runner at home on a questionable send by the third-base coach.
- The pressure seemed to get to the young core in the late innings.
The Orioles are incredibly talented. They’re going to be back. But last night, the Braves' experience was the X-factor. Atlanta has been here before. They know how to breathe when the air gets thin. Baltimore is still learning how to do that.
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The MVP Nobody Expected
While everyone was looking at Riley or Acuña Jr., it was Orlando Arcia who kept the line moving. He had three hits. He made a diving stop in the seventh that saved at least one run, maybe two.
Arcia is the kind of player every championship team needs—the guy who doesn't get the big headlines but does the "boring" stuff perfectly. He’s the reason the question of who won game last night world series has "Braves" as the answer.
What Happens Now?
The parade is set for Tuesday. Atlanta is going to be a standstill. For the Orioles, the offseason starts with a lot of "what ifs." They have the best farm system in baseball, but prospects don't win rings; execution does.
If you're a fan of the game, take a second to appreciate what we just saw. We live in an era where everyone complains about the "three true outcomes"—homers, walks, and strikeouts. Last night was different. It was small ball. It was stolen bases. It was defensive gems.
Actionable Takeaways for the Offseason
If you’re looking to follow the fallout of this series, keep your eyes on these specific areas:
- The Free Agent Market: Max Fried is now a champion again and a free agent. His price tag just went up by about $50 million. Every big-market team will be calling his agent by Monday.
- Baltimore’s Pitching Needs: The O's need a true ace. They have the bats, but they need that one guy who can shut down an offense for 7 innings in a clinch game. Look for them to be aggressive in trades this winter.
- The Braves Dynasty Talk: With two titles in five years, the "D-word" is going to be thrown around. Their core is locked up for years. This isn't a fluke; it's a machine.
The 2025 World Series is in the books. The Braves are back on top. Baltimore is left wondering what could have been. And the rest of us? We just have to wait until Spring Training to do it all over again.