The World Series, the championship that culminates the entire MLB season, came to a close on Saturday, Nov. 5.

The Houston Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-1, to win the overall series 4-2 and win their second ever championship, their first since 2017. After their first championship was marred by cheating scandals, this was a breath of fresh air for both the team and its fans. The Astros were the second-best team in the entire league, only behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, and they were successful in beating the Seattle Mariners and the New York Yankees in their journey to reach the highly anticipated World Series.

Several players and higher-ups in the team secured major victories with the Astros. First baseman Trey Mancini, who was traded to the Astros from the Baltimore Orioles not long before the playoffs began. He beat a battle with Stage 3 colon cancer just two years prior, marking a massive win for someone whose health was in jeopardy during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This also secured a win for manager Dusty Baker, an MLB veteran who had last seen a World Series win with the Dodgers way back in 1981.

Game 6 of the World Series, the one that secured victory for the Astros, was also the first time that the series was won at home since the Boston Red Sox in 2013. A major contribution to the Astros’ victory was also seen in their elite pitching squad, which included those ranging from future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander to Framber Valdez and his unhittable curveball to Cristian Javier and his invisiball to a ridiculous bullpen full of power arms.

Thanks to them, the pitching staff posted a 2.29 ERA in the postseason (and held the Phillies to a .163 average) with Valdez leading the way in Game 6, allowing just one run over six innings. Addition-ally, the Astros won all four post-season games that Valdez started in. Another unsung hero of the Astros, especially in Game 6, was left fielder Yordan Álvarez, who hit three home runs in the sixth inning to turn the Astros’ 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead.

In addition, rookie short-stop Jeremy Peña was a revelation. He hit in all six World Series games, making him the first rookie with a hit in six straight World Series contests. He made several excellent plays in the field and hit four home runs in the playoffs, including a go-ahead home run in that 18-inning 1-0 win over Seattle back in the ALDS. His single preceded Alvarez’s blast. He was Houston’s best position player this month.

The Astros can finally be classified as a dynasty, with two championships in the past five years, four trips to the World Series in the past six seasons and four 100-win sea-sons all within that.