Astros' Framber Valdez: 'I Can't Tell You I Didn't Feel the Pressure' in 1st WS Start

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez said the emotions involved with making his first career World Series start were a factor in his poor performance in Game 1 against the Atlanta Braves.

"It was my first World Series start. I can't tell you I didn't feel the pressure," Valdez told reporters after the Astros' 6-2 loss.

The 27-year-old left-hander allowed five earned runs on eight hits and one walk before getting removed with no outs in the third inning after a home run by the Braves' Adam Duvall. He recorded two strikeouts.

Atlanta got off to a dream start as Jorge Soler became the first player in World Series history to hit a leadoff home run in the top of the first inning of Game 1.

The Braves added an RBI double through MVP candidate Austin Riley in the first, a RBI groundout by Soler in the second and the Duvall homer to race out to a 5-0 lead.

Charlie Morton, the NL champions' co-ace, suffered a fractured fibula that forced him to leave after 2.1 innings. Atlanta later ruled him out for the remainder of the Fall Classic.

Four Braves relievers—A.J. Minter, Luke Jackson, Tyler Matzek and Will Smith—combined to allow just two runs over the remaining 6.2 innings while striking out eight to prevent an Astros comeback.

The question now is whether Atlanta has enough pitching depth to capture its first World Series title since 1995.

Max Fried and Ian Anderson will start the next two games, but the club will then have to use a makeshift rotation for Games 4 and 5 before Fried and Anderson could return for the final two games, if necessary.

Meanwhile, the Astros are lined up to have Jose Urquidy, Luis Garcia and either Jake Odorizzi, who was strong out of the bullpen in Game 1, or Zack Grienke over the next three games before the rotation could flip back to Valdez, who figures to have a better second outing in the series.

So the starting staffs, which looked like an edge for Atlanta to open the series, could become an advantage for Houston thanks to its depth without Morton available.

"Our team doesn't worry, and our team's very confident," Astros manager Dusty Baker told reporters. "We have the knack of bouncing back after losses, after tough losses because they don't quit, they don't give up, they don't get down. That's the secret of sports."

Game 2 at Houston's Minute Maid Park is set for an 8:09 p.m. ET first pitch Wednesday night.