Atlanta Braves pitcher stars in World Series opener playing with broken leg

Baseball fans were stunned by an act of bravery in the World Series after a star played out of his skin while in excruciating pain.

Atlanta Braves pitcher Charlie Morton played through a broken leg.

In an incredible act of courage, a star pitcher for the Atlanta Braves has heroically played through a broken leg to help his team win the opening game of baseball’s World Series.

The Braves defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 on Wednesday (AEDT) in Texas to move one step closer to claiming the biggest title in world baseball.

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But Atlanta will be without gun pitcher Charlie Morton for the remainder of the best-of-seven series after he broke his leg in the second inning of the game when he has struck by a ground ball off one of his pitches.

The 37-year-old stayed on the field and remarkably completed a near-flawless inning, throwing 16 pitches on his broken leg.

He struck out three Astro batters and allowed no runs on one hit in a little over two innings of work.

He even managed to unleash a bullet of a pitch at 154 km/h while he was badly injured.

An X-ray after the second inning didn’t show any particular damage to his leg.

Morton initially stayed in the game but his ankle started swelling up and it became too painful for him to continue.

A second X-ray after he left the game in the third inning showed he had fractured the fibula in his right leg.

After the game, Braves manager Brian Snitker revealed Morton was desperate to stay in the game and was even practising his throws in the arena’s tunnel.

Charlie Morton leaves the field after playing through a broken leg. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

“He wanted to keep going,” Snitker said.

“He was down in the tunnel, he was throwing against the wall and just said, ‘It kinda hurts more when I run. I feel good when I throw’. And then obviously it didn’t.

“Just the fact he wanted to keep going. I mean, they were X-raying him.

“That’s Charlie. He wants to be on this stage and god bless him.

“I hate it for him, really hate it for him. He’s such a great person and teammate. I really hate it for him because I know he was really looking forward to this run with us.”

Charlie Morton did all of this on a broken leg pic.twitter.com/ONuE8boYIf

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) October 27, 2021

This was the Gurriel comebacker that got Morton's shin in the second inning. My guess is he had to exit because the area swelled over the past inning. pic.twitter.com/NuV4Zm50Yh

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) October 27, 2021

Charlie Morton throws 96-mph and strikes out former MVPs in the World Series at 37 years old on a broken leg.

I stub my toe on the coffee table and I’m out a minimum 2-3 weeks. pic.twitter.com/sS7dDHkvLc

— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) October 27, 2021

So, Atlanta starter Charlie Morton retired all three #Astros batters he faced, striking out two of them with a broken leg.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) October 27, 2021

also, in case you were unaware, Charlie Morton is “that dude.” pitching on a broken leg, he is built different and we’re so lucky to have him. thank you for a great season Seasoning King 👑

— Blooper (@BlooperBraves) October 27, 2021

Charlie Morton is tougher than turtle jerky.

— Jason Foster (@ByJasonFoster) October 27, 2021

Charlie Morton pitched on a broken leg and I got winded going up the stairs

— Tyson Shushkewich (@Tyson_MLB) October 27, 2021

Morton took an inning to find his form so it was left to the Atlanta batters to deliver the early fireworks in front of a crowd of 40,060 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.

He survived a scare in the first inning as he fell behind the Houston hitters, who loaded the bases.

But Morton got right fielder Kyle Tucker to ground out to first to end the inning stranding three runners on base.

After exiting the game, Morton was replaced by left-hander AJ Minter, who was credited with the win after striking out three and allowing just one run in two-plus innings of work.

Morton was on fire for the Atlanta Braves while he was out there. Photo: Bob Levey/Getty Images/AFP

Jorge Soler smashed a home run on the first swing of the game and Adam Duvall blasted a two-run homer to help Atlanta get over the line.

The Braves, who are in their first World Series since 1999 and haven’t won the Fall Classic since 1995, used a blistering start to post five runs in the first three innings and never looked back.

The Astros, who lost in seven games to Washington in the 2019 World Series, are back in the title matchup for the third time in five seasons.

The Braves tacked on another run in the second when Soler grounded into fielder’s choice to the shortstop and Travis d’Arnaud scored. Atlanta threatened to score more runs but also left the bases loaded in their half of the inning.

Braves made it 5-0 when Duvall belted a homer to left field in the third which scored outfielder Eddie Rosario.

Atlanta are first team in history of World Series to score a run in each of the first three innings of game one.

With AFP