Washington Sweeps Saint Louis To Punch Ticket To The World Series
86 years ago was the last time Washington was in the World Series when they were the Washington Senators.
Now the Washington Nationals are heading to back to the World Series.
The Nationals scored first in every game in the series and never trailed. They overwhelmed the Cardinals, bullied them with their star rotation and punished each miscue relentlessly. “according to https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-win-2019-national-league-pennant
On Tuesday night, they weren’t going to give the Cardinals a chance to get off the mat. Patrick Corbin needed 10 pitches to strike out the side in the top of the first. The offense batted around and scored seven runs in the bottom of the first. St. Louis chipped away at the deficit to pull to within striking distance, even loading the bases in the eighth, but Daniel Hudson shut the door with a four-out save. And then the party began at South Capitol Street. “according to https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-win-2019-national-league-pennant
“There were other times, couldn’t get over the hump or whatever it was, but really it’s kind of tough to say what’s going to happen in the playoffs,” right-hander Stephen Strasburg said. “You have a great year and you kind of run into a buzzsaw, but maybe this year we’re the buzzsaw.””according to https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-win-2019-national-league-pennant
Washington rode the arms of a stellar starting rotation -- the four-headed monster of Max Scherzer, Strasburg, Corbin and Aníbal Sánchez -- who imposed their will on the Cardinals for the entire NLCS and rendered their sometimes leaky bullpen an afterthought. Anthony Rendon is an NL MVP Award candidate. Juan Soto is a star who turns 21 on the night of Game 3 of the World Series. They are two of the best and most dangerous hitters in baseball. Trea Turner and Victor Robles are two of the most electric players. Howie Kendrick, the NLCS MVP, has been a breakout star at 36. “according to https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-win-2019-national-league-pennant
After all, this team nearly buried itself after 50 games, but it rallied. This team stared down a 3-1 deficit in the eighth inning of the Wild Card Game with baseball’s most unhittable reliever, Josh Hader, on the mound and rallied. And then the Nats were down 3-1 in the eighth inning of a winner-take-all Game 5 at Dodger Stadium facing Clayton Kershaw, the best pitcher of his generation, and they still survived. “according to https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-win-2019-national-league-pennant
Meanwhile Saint Louis’s season is over,
Tuesday’s 7-4 loss ended the Cardinals’ season with a thud. They had gotten back to the postseason. They climbed back to the top of their division. They were in the NLCS and eyeing the World Series. “according to https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/cardinals-eliminated-in-nlcs-game-4-loss
And then they were not. “according to https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/cardinals-eliminated-in-nlcs-game-4-loss
“Felt like it kind of sped up on us,” Paul DeJong said. “I felt like the Braves series [the NL Division Series] lasted forever, and it was only five games. This one was four games, but it felt like a blur." “according to https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/cardinals-eliminated-in-nlcs-game-4-loss
In four games against the Nationals, the Cardinals never led once. Their pitching held the score close in the first two games but crumbled in the last two. The defense made uncharacteristic mistakes. And their offense did not show up until it was too late. “according to https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/cardinals-eliminated-in-nlcs-game-4-loss
“[The Nationals] beat us to the punch every step of the way,” said Adam Wainwright, who pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief. “Their lineup was tough. Their pitchers were tough. Their defense was great. Timely hits. There’s really nothing that we can say we beat them at. They did a great job." “according to https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/cardinals-eliminated-in-nlcs-game-4-loss
Tuesday’s game started much like the previous three. Patrick Corbin struck out Tommy Edman, José Martínez and Paul Goldschmidt in the top of the first inning, all swinging on 95-mph fastballs.”according to https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/cardinals-eliminated-in-nlcs-game-4-loss
Dakota Hudson’s first two pitches were balls, and then Trea Turner singled to start a seven-run first inning for the Nationals. Three of those runs were unearned because of Kolten Wong’s error at second base. Another came because of Martínez’s defensive miscue on Victor Robles’ fly ball to shallow right field that was ruled a single. “according to https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/cardinals-eliminated-in-nlcs-game-4-loss
Hudson's seven runs allowed are tied for the most by any pitcher in a postseason start of one-third of an inning or less. He’s tied with Mike Foltynewicz in Game 5 of the NLDS, when the Cardinals scored 10 runs in the first. “according to https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/cardinals-eliminated-in-nlcs-game-4-loss
In the first three games of the NLCS, the Cardinals scored two runs. They struck out 48 times in the series, including Goldschmidt’s nine strikeouts and Marcell Ozuna's eight in the middle of the lineup. The Nationals’ rotation, led by Corbin, Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg, silenced the Cardinals hitters every game. “according to https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/cardinals-eliminated-in-nlcs-game-4-loss
. Yadier Molina hit a solo home run in the fourth, and Martínez’s double off the center-field wall in the fifth capped a three-run fifth inning. The four runs off Corbin were the Cardinals’ first earned runs in the series off a Nationals pitcher. But Corbin ended the fifth with a pair of strikeouts of Goldschmidt and Ozuna -- Corbin’s 11th and 12th strikeouts of the night. “according to https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/cardinals-eliminated-in-nlcs-game-4-loss
The Cardinals had the bases loaded down three runs in the eighth, but Matt Carpenter grounded out to end the frame. “according to https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/cardinals-eliminated-in-nlcs-game-4-loss
“There wasn't one guy that didn't expect to win that game,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “Yadi gets us started with the homer, and they couldn't have felt real comfortable over there. We just weren't able to bring it home. We had the go-ahead run at the plate with a guy we have confidence in. So a lot of positives took place, but not enough of them.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/cardinals-eliminated-in-nlcs-game-4-loss
Now Washington is playing the waiting game as to who they will play in the World Series that starts Tuesday where they will face either Houston or New York who have yet to finish their series as game 4 of the American League Championship Series has yet to be played and is weather permitting. Houston leads the series 2-1.