5 storylines to watch in World Series Game 2

Well, that was a terrific game. How much more could you ask from a Game 1? Extra innings! A wild comeback! Individual superstar moments! Free tacos! The World Series is as fun as this sport gets, and Game 1 between the Phillies and Astros was a series of heart attacks, one after the other. But now we have to go play another game. We have to do that again.

As we reflect on the Phillies’ epic 6-5 win in Game 1 (after trailing 5-0 after the third inning), here’s a look at the five biggest Game 2 storylines.

1. Can the Astros recover from losing like _that_?
Pick your stat, really. Teams are now 589-19 when they lead a postseason game by five runs or more. They are now 220-6 in such games in World Series history. (In fact, no team had come back in from five runs down in the World Series since 2002, though that one did also involve Dusty Baker on the losing end.)

It’s fair to say that when your team has a 5-0 lead in a World Series game -- particularly when you have, uh, American League Cy Young favorite Justin Verlander on the mound -- you expect to win that game. But nope. The Astros have felt blessed this entire postseason, going undefeated against the darling Mariners and the Yankees. Houston -- which is now 0-5 in Game 1 of the World Series -- hadn't faced any adversity this October. But the Astros sure have some now.

2. On the flipside, will the Phillies have enough relievers to get through Game 2?
Phillies manager Rob Thomson was smart to empty his bullpen, to use whichever pitcher he needed, whenever he needed him, to get through Game 1. It paid off: The Phils won, ending the Astros’ seven-game postseason win streak and grabbing home-field advantage. But wow, who’s going to pitch for this team in Game 2? Philadelphia didn’t just use Zach Eflin, Seranthony Domínguez, David Robertson, José Alvarado, the four relievers Thomson trusts most. The Phillies used Ranger Suárez -- who sort of seemed like the guy who was going to pitch Game 3 on Monday.

You have to admire Thomson for emptying the tank to make sure he got the Game 1 win. But how many pitchers are available for Game 2? A split was what the Phillies were going for, and the Game 1 win secures them of that.

But Game 2 will be a tall order with a bullpen that was taxed in Game 1.

• The greatest Game 1s in World Series history

3. Can Zack Wheeler keep the Phillies' plan moving?
The Phillies’ primary plan for winning this series involved Aaron Nola (Game 1) and Wheeler (Game 2) being a 1-2 punch, guiding the club to two early victories -- which would be a great start. Nola certainly wasn’t what they were hoping for on Friday, giving up five early runs to Houston, but a win is a win: The Phils are still on their plan, even if their plan didn’t exactly go as planned.

So now Philadelphia needs Wheeler to take care of Game 2. As good as Framber Valdez, Houston's Game 2 starter, has been this season, Wheeler is probably the slightly superior arm. With the Phillies' bullpen (already) tired, he will be relied upon to go as far as he can.

4. Who will DH for Houston?
Veteran Trey Mancini, who went hitless in four at-bats as Houston’s DH in Game 1, is now 0-for-16 this postseason. He has struggled so much that Baker sent up Aledmys Díaz to hit for him in the bottom of the 10th inning with the tying run on second. Díaz entered his plate appearance with just one hit in the playoffs (1-for-14), tried to lean in to two consecutive pitches -- and was even clipped by the second one -- but home-plate umpire Jim Hoye correctly called him for trying to get hit by the pitch and refused to award him first base. It was not the approach of a player confident in his ability to get a hit in a big spot. Diaz then grounded out to end the game.

Mancini was Houston’s big Trade Deadline acquisition from the Orioles, but he has looked lost at the plate. Baker does not have a good alternative at the DH spot with Michael Brantley out with a right shoulder injury, but after pinch-hitting for Mancini in such an important situation, you have to wonder if a change is coming.

5. Seriously, are the Phillies just blessed?
The Astros are widely considered to be the better team than the Phillies. But so were the Braves, and arguably the Padres and Cardinals as well. So far, though, Philadelphia seems pretty unfazed by the whole “better team” thing. The Phils' Game 1 win broke postseason comeback records, and it was the sort of game that makes you think the baseball gods might just be shining on them.

But you know what’s cooler than coming back from 5-0 down against one of the greatest pitchers of the past 30 years? Taking a 2-0 lead, against a heavily favored team that hadn’t lost in the postseason until you showed up, before coming back home for three games in front of your rabid fan base that will be, shall we say, fired up for a Game 3 on Halloween night at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies -- the Phillies! -- could take a stranglehold on the Fall Classic before it even feels like it has gotten started. Seriously, the Phillies, in just a few hours, could be two wins away from a title. They just won the opener deeply emotional fashion. The sun seems to be shining only on them.

They can’t keep this going like this … can they?