World Series Game Seven: Howie Kendrick Lifts Nationals to World Series Title Over Houston

Players of the Day for Wednesday, October 30, 2019

World Series Game Seven

Washington Nationals 6 Houston Astros 2

Kendrick's 2-run homer
gave Washington the lead.

America's pastime has a new champion.

50 years in the making, the Washington Nationals captured the first World Series in franchise history, coming from behind for a 6-2 game seven victory at Houston.

In an historic series that saw the road team win every game, the Nationals teed off on the Astros' relief staff, scoring all of their runs in the final three innings.

Zack Greinke had kept the Nationals at bay for the first six innings - blanking them on one hit - but, when Anthony Rendon cut the lead to 2-1 with his second series home run, and Greinke followed by walking the next batter, Juan Soto, manager AJ Hinch opted for the usually-reliable right arm of Will Harris.

On Harris' second pitch, 36-year-old Howie Kendrick connected, launching a curving fly to left that eventually banged off the foul pole screen for a two-run homer. Just like that, in the blink of an eye, the Nationals had taken the lead and the momentum of game seven would never swing back to the home team.

In the eighth, Soto singled home Adam Eaton, and Eaton drove in a pair of runs in the top of the ninth to put the game away. While the Nationals were pulling away, the Astros were flailing fruitlessly at pitches from Patrick Corbin, who came on in the sixth in relief of Max Scherzer, delivering three scoreless innings on two hits, fanning three. Daniel Hudson struck out two in a perfect ninth to finish the job and bring the first title to Washington since the franchise was formed as the Montreal Expos in 1969.

Strasburg: MVP award

Moving from Montreal to Washington in 2005, the Nationals had come close before but never reached the World Series. In their first appearance, they made good, despite taking seven games to do so.

The last time a team based in the nation's capitol won a World Series was 1924, when the Washington Senators defeated John McGraw's New York Giants, four games to three.

Stephen Strasburg, who won two games in the series, was awarded Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors.

And so, another baseball season ends. After all the balls and strikes, hits, runs, errors, balks, homers and strikeouts, the final two teams battled through seven games, eventually deciding the champion by that slim a margin. Kudos to the Houston Astros, who led the majors with 107 wins, but the trophy goes to the Nationals, the team that never gave up, never quit, and eventually earned the game's ultimate reward.

Baseball takes a break for the winter, but it returns on February 22, when these same two teams - who share a practice facility in West Palm Beach, Florida - play an exhibition game.

Until then, rest up and get ready. The boys of summer will be back before you know it.

World Series Game Six: Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon Lead Nationals to Game Six Victory

Players of the Day for Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Strasburg: 8 1/3 IP, 2R, 7K

World Series, Game 6

Washington Nationals 7 Houston Astros 2

There will be a game seven.

Stephen Strasburg, who has been nothing short of brilliant throughout the regular season, playoffs and World Series, allowed two runs in the first inning, but shut down the Astros over the next seven innings en route to a 7-2 victory by the visiting Nationals, the sixth straight game in which the visitors have emerged victorious.

After being told in the dugout by teammates that he may have been tipping off his pitches with his gloved hand, Strasberg changed his delivery slightly and the results spoke loudly. He set down the Astros in order in the second and third innings, issued two walks in the fourth but didn't give up another hit until Josh Reddick singled in the fifth, followed by George Springer's double that left men on second and third with one out.

Strasburg struck out Jose Altuve and induced a pop out from Michael Brantley to end the threat. After Alex Bregman reached on a single to open the sixth, Strasburg was untouched, retiring the next ten batters in order before giving way to Sean Doolittle with one gone in the Astros' ninth. Strasburg threw 104 pitches and struck out seven.

Rendon: 5 RBI in Game 6

While Strasburg dealt hitless offerings to the assembled Astros, his counterpart, Justin Verlander, was having the same problems that plagued him in his five previous World Series losses. Getting behind on batters able to identify hittable pitches on positive counts led to a run in the first when Anthony Rendon drove in Trea Turner from third and solo homers by Adam Eaton and Juan Soto in the fifth. With the Nationals up, 3-2, Verlander was done after five innings, eventually handed his sixth World Series loss without a win as the Nationals piled on in the late innings.

Strasburg is 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA this post-season and 2-0 in the World Series, picking up the win in games two and six.

Anthony Rendon was an unstoppable force down the stretch, socking a two-run homer in the seventh and a two-run double in the ninth, finishing with five of Washington's seven RBIs.

Washington winning their third game at Houston means that home field advantage has, for the most part, been eliminated from the 2019 World Series. No home team has won a single game.

Game seven is Wednesday night, at Houston, with Zack Greinke on the mound for the Astros and Max Scherzer starting for the Nationals. Game time is 8:07 pm ET.

World Series Game Five: Houston Storms to 3-2 Series Edge Behind Gerrit Cole's Seven Innings

Players of the Day for Sunday, October 27, 2019

World Series, Game 5

Cole fans 9 in Gave Five

Houston Astros 7 Washington Nationals 1

Bouncing back from his first loss since May 22, Gerrit Cole worked seven powerful innings to earn the win in game five of the World Series, as the Astros won their third straight over the Nationals, 7-1.

In game one, Cole took the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits and a walk as the Nationals won, 5-4. It was a different result for game five, as Cole dominated, striking out nine while allowing three hits. Washington didn't score until the seventh inning, when Juan Soto launched a home run to center with one out.

Cole had command of all his pitches, throwing 71 of 110 for strikes. After escaping a one-out, first and third situation in the second inning via a double play, Cole did not allow a Washington hit until Soto's seventh inning homer. Cole put down the Nationals in order in the first, third, fifth and sixth innings.

Cole was 20-5 during the regular season and is 4-1 in the 2019 post-season with a 1.72 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings.

Houston's offense was powered by home runs. Yordan Alvarez, who was 3-for-3 on the night, started the long-ball barrage with a two-run liner to center in the second inning off Washington starter, Joe Ross. Carlos Correa followed with the second two-run belt off Ross with a blast to right in the fourth.

After Yuri Guriel knocked in George Springer from third with a single in the eighth, Springer whacked the third two-run rip for Houston in the ninth, completing the scoring.

Houston, after losing games one and two at home, has responded with three straight wins at Nationals Park, outscoring the home team in those three games, 19-1, and has rebounded to a 3-2 lead in the series.

When play resumes Tuesday night in Houston (8:07 pm ET), the Astros will be looking to win their second World Series in three years; the Nationals will be facing elimination or forcing a game seven, also, if necessary, at Houston.

Justin Verlander is expected to take the mound for the Astros in game six. The Nationals will start Stephen Strasberg.

World Series Game Four: Alex Bregman's Grand Slam Evens Series for Astros

Player of the Day for Saturday, October 26, 2019

World Series, Game Four

Bregman: Grand Slam, 5RBI

Houston Astros 8 Washington Nationals 1

Already up by a 4-1 score, Houston's Alex Bregman removed all doubt with his seventh-inning grand slam, sending Houston to an 8-1 win in game four of the 2019 World Series.

Bregman, who was 1-for-13 in the previous three games, took a low inside fastball from Washington reliever, Fernando Rodney, and deposited it in the left field stands, just inside the foul pole. Coming on in relief of starter Patrick Corbin, Washington hurler, Tanner Rainey, had put two aboard in the inning on back-to-back walks to Kyle Tucker and George Springer. After getting Jose Altuve to fly out, on came Rodney, who immediately loaded the bases by giving up a single to red-hot Michael Brantley.

Bregman took a called first strike from Rodney on his first pitch, an inside changeup, but didn't miss the second offering. In the first inning, Bregman knocked in Houston's first run, sending Altuve home with a single to left center. He finished 3-for-5, with five RBI, knocking a two out single in the eighth, but was left stranded.

Houston benefitted from a strong pitching performance from starter, Jose Urquidy, who threw five shutout innings, allowing two hits, no walks, fanning four. After a Yan Gomes double to lead off the third inning, Urquidy put down the next nine batters in order. He was relieved to open the sixth and picked up the win.

The five hurlers who followed Urquidy breezed through the Nationals over the final four frames.

With the victory, Houston has tied the series at two games apiece. Neither team has been able to assert home field advantage. Visitors have won all four games.

Game five is Sunday, 8:07 pm ET at Washington's Nationals Park. After a day off Monday, the series returns to Houston for game six, and, if necessary, game seven.