Washington Beats Houston To Win The World Series
Washington has won the world series as the Senators. That was ninety five years ago.
The opponent ? The San Francisco Giants.
This time around though they did it as the Washington Nationals as they defeated the Houston Astros.
The Nationals won the World Series on Wednesday night, knocking off the favored Houston Astros, 6-2, in the decisive Game 7 to win their first championship. They did it by overcoming a 3-2 series deficit to become the first team in MLB history to win all four games on the road to clinch a series. “according to https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-show-fighting-spirit-in-winning-world-series
The Nats survived and thrived with “Los Viejos” (“The Old Ones”) like Kendrick and an unmistakable affinity for the unexpected ... and for "Baby Shark." They came back to break the heart of the Brewers in the late innings of the NL Wild Card Game. They dispatched the mighty 106-win Dodgers in the NL Division Series behind Kendrick’s Game 5-changing grand slam. They silenced the sizzling Cardinals in an NL Championship Series sweep. And after squandering a 2-0 lead in this best-of-seven Fall Classic and returning to Minute Maid Park on the brink of elimination, Washington summoned the stamina for one last exclamation-earning effort. “according to https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-win-2019-world-series
Max Scherzer, making his cortisone-aided comeback from the debilitating neck injury that had made him a no-go for Sunday night's Game 5, didn’t have his typical movement or mastery. He induced just 11 swinging strikes among his 103 pitches in five innings. A viewer only able to tune in every 20 minutes or so would be forgiven for thinking that the Astros had somehow been given permission to begin every inning with two aboard.”according to https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-win-2019-world-series
And yet, through four innings, the eight baserunners against Scherzer had resulted in just a single run -- Yuli Gurriel's laser beam to the Crawford Boxes for a homer that put Houston up, 1-0, in the second.”according to https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-win-2019-world-series
Harris got ahead of Kendrick with a first-pitch strike. But his second offering was a 90.6 mph cutter down and away, and Kendrick got bat to ball for the new signature swat of his club’s epic October run and an instantly iconic MLB moment.”according to https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-win-2019-world-series
Meanwhile the 2017 World Series Champions season ended in defeat.
The final two games of the World Series were an exercise in frustration -- and ultimately dejection -- for manager AJ Hinch, who watched his bullpen allow eight runs over 6 2/3 innings in home losses during Games 6 and 7 to the Nationals, who rallied late in Wednesday night's Game 7 to beat the Astros, 6-2, and win their first World Series.”according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/astros-lose-world-series-after-bullpen-falters
Greinke was pulled after 80 pitches, following a solo homer by Anthony Rendon and a walk to Juan Soto, and Will Harris -- who earlier in the Series was dubbed as Hinch’s “panic button” -- gave up a crushing two-run homer to Howie Kendrick that put the Nationals ahead, 3-2. It continued from there. Roberto Osuna gave up a run in the eighth and Joe Smith allowed a pair in the ninth. “according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/astros-lose-world-series-after-bullpen-falters
The Nats danced and celebrated on the middle of the Minute Maid Park diamond, leaving the 107-win Astros wondering what-if. In the case of bringing in Harris, Hinch said it was a matter of matchups.”according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/astros-lose-world-series-after-bullpen-falters
“Kendrick and [Asdrúbal] Cabrera was where I had really focused on Will Harris at that point,” Hinch said. “Will has been tremendous for us. I knew I had Osuna, I knew I had Gerrit [Cole], if need be. Will coming in to spin the breaking ball, he got the swing and miss, then he hit a ball off the foul pole in right field, and off they go.””according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/astros-lose-world-series-after-bullpen-falters
Greinke, who was acquired from the D-backs in a July move that most believe made the Astros the World Series favorites, had allowed only two baserunners through six scoreless innings. He was cruising.”according to https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/astros-lose-world-series-after-bullpen-falters
The 2019 Major League season is now in the books the Washington Nationals are the World Champions and these questions come to mind during the off-season. Will the players who are free agents like Garret Cole be with Houston next season? That question is yet to be answered but hopefully will be answered down the road in the off-season.