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Washington wins series 4-3
Out of contention in May, champions in October. Max Scherzer pitched 5 innings, Howie Kendrick hit the go ahead homer, and the Washington Nationals won the 2019 world series with a 6-2 win in game 7 over the Houston Astros in a classic. After being scratched from game 5, Scherzer returned to pitch game 7, and went 5 innings to help Washington to victory. Ryan Zimmerman, who has been a part of every Nationals team, said that ''The way this game went is the way our whole season went."
The Astros took the lead in the second inning when Yuli Gurriel hit a line drive homer into the crawford boxes to make it 1-0. In the 5th, Carlos Correa hit an RBI single to make it 2-0. In the 7th, Anthony Rendon started the comeback with a solo homer to left field. Later, Kendrick hit a line drive down the right field line that hit the foul pole for a two run homer that put Washington ahead 3-2. In the 8th, Juan Soto increased the lead with an RBI single to right field. In the 9th, Adam Eaton hit a two run single to make it 6-2, sealing it up for Washington.
Scherzer went 5 innings for Washington, giving up two runs on 7 hits and 4 walks. He struck out 3 and got the no decision. Patrick Corbin got the win, pitching 3 scoreless innings in relief of Scherzer. Daniel Hudson struck out Michael Brantley in the 9th inning to secure the franchise's first championship. Stephen Strasburg was named World Series MVP after dominating in games two and six. The Nats won 5 elimination games this postseason to earn the title. Martinez said of his team ''Resilient, relentless bunch of guys, they fought all year long." They embraced the motto "stay in the fight" after their 19-31 start to the season. Martinez said to the team that ''Guess what? We stayed in the fight. We won the fight!'' He went on to say that ''We were down and out. We were 19-31. We didn't quit then, we weren't going to quit now." Trea Turner said of Rendon's homer that it ''Just gave us a little bit of hope." Doolittle said that ''This is now the most 2019 Nats thing to ever happen, another elimination game, another come-from-behind win.''
Zack Greinke went 6 1/3 innings for Houston, giving up two runs on two hits and two walks. Will Harris took the loss, as he gave up the homer to Kendrick. Roberto Osuna and Joe Smith were charged with the other runs. Manager AJ Hinch said that ''I've got a group of heartbroken men in there that did everything they could to try to bring a World Series championship to this city. And we fell one win shy." Hinch said of his decision not to bring in Gerrit Cole that ''I wasn't going to pitch him unless we were going to win the World Series and have a lead, he was going to close the game in the ninth.'' Hinch also said the decision to take out Greinke would haunt him. George Springer said that ''Yeah, the ultimate goal is to win the World Series, and we fell short to a great team. You can't hang your head low about that, you move on and start getting ready for spring training.''
The Nationals became the first wild card team to win the world series since the San Francisco Giants did it in 2014 against the Kansas City Royals, another series that went 7 games. Starting with the Giants' win, the last 6 world series champions have clinched on the road. In a few months, the world series sting will amplify for Houston, as they share a spring training facility with the Nationals in Florida. They will face each other to kick off spring training play on February 22.
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