by Marshall Field

Before the 115th World Series’ game seven started, it was already special as it was steeped in firsts. It was the first best-of-seven series across MLB, the NHL and the NBA to have its first six games won by the road team. That’s 1420 series through three sports. That record would later grow to the road team winning all seven games.

Then the starting pitchers: Washington Nationals’ starter Max Scherzer and the Houston Astros’ Zack Greinke. It was the first time in the 40 game sevens in the history of the Fall Classic that two former Cy Young award winners faced each other in a game seven. It was the first game seven in Nationals history (the third for the Astros). Then the game started. It too was special.

The Washington Nationals, who faced five elimination games in these playoffs and trailed in all of them, stunned the baseball world with a 6-2 victory over the Houston Astros in game seven of the 2019 World Series. (Box Score) Washington last won the Fall Classic on October 10, 1924 and last appeared in the Classic in 1933. The District, as it is called, was without baseball for 33 years. It resurfaced in 2005, and 14 years later, they won the franchise’s first World Championship.

Scherzer, who could hardly get out of bed on Sunday due to a muscle strain in neck and in his right trapezius muscle, gutted out five innings. The Astros had runners on in nearly every inning, but ended up leaving 10 runners on base and never got the knockout hit to put the Nationals away. Patrick Corbin entered the game in the sixth and pitched three stellar innings and Daniel Hudson closed things out in the ninth.

The game had some managerial intrigue as Astros ace Gerrit Cole never got into the game. Greinke pitched beautifully, but only could watch as his team could not hold a 2-0 lead.

The Astros drew first blood in the bottom of the second inning as Yuli Gurriel homered to left to give Houston a 1-0 lead. Yordan Alvarez and Carlos Correa followed with singles, but the Astros couldn’t push them across. The lack of clutch hitting with RISP became a recurring theme in this game (and series).

In both the third and fourth innings, the Astros had two men on base but failed to add to their early lead. Through four innings, Houston was already 0-for-6 with RISP.  Meanwhile Greinke was sailing along, giving up only one hit to Juan Soto in the second, and he was promptly erased on a double play.

Houston finally got a big hit in the fifth as they scored a single run to take a 2-0 lead. Michael Brantley led off with a single and was erased on a fielder’s choice by Gurriel. After a walk to Alvarez to put runners on first and second, Correa singled to left with two outs, scoring Gurriel and increased the Astros lead. To that point, the Astros were 3-for-27 at Minute Maid Park with RISP.

The fifth would be the last inning for Scherzer. His final line was 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 Ks, 4 BB. He threw 103 pitches with 58 strikes.

The Nationals finally broke through against Greinke in the seventh. He was pitching a one-hitter when Anthony Rendon stepped to the plate and smashed a solo home run to left to cut the Astros lead in half. Soto walked and that brought out Astros manager A.J. Hinch to make a pitching change.

Greinke’s final line was 6.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 Ks, 2 BB. He threw 80 pitches, 49 of which were strikes.

What followed is a decision that may live in Astros lore (or nightmares) forever. Cy Young candidate Gerrit Cole warmed up earlier in the game, but was sitting as the seventh unfolded. Instead, Hinch went to Will Harris who had been effective in the playoffs. The first batter he faced was 36-year-old Howie Kendrick. He swung late on a fastball and hit a fly to right that hit the bottom of the foul pole for a two-run home run to give the Nationals a 3-2 lead. It was only the third homer that Harris had given up at Minute Maid Park.

Washington increased their lead in the eighth off of Astros closer Roberto Osuna. Soto walked and then stole second, and scored on a single by Eaton.

Meanwhile, Washington starter Corbin pitched three excellent innings in relief allowing no runs on two hits. He got the win for the Nats.

The Nationals scored two more runs in the ninth to account for the final score on a two RBI single by Eaton. Daniel Hudson pitched the ninth for the Nats and retired the Astros in order to secure the win.

Stephen Strasburg, who had two wins in the series, was named the World Series MVP. He is the first overall number one pick to win the award. He has put together stats that rival some of baseball’s best pitchers in the playoffs. He has the third lowest ERA of all time in the postseason with pitchers with at least five starts.

The Nationals were a team reeling with a 19-31 record. Their manager, Dave Martinez, was on the hot seat. They then went 40 games over .500 to get into the playoffs. They were six outs from elimination in the Wild Card game and won. They beat the heavily favored Los Angeles Dodgers, swept the St. Louis Cardinals before upsetting the Houston Astros. They lose three games at home in the Fall Classic, come back to Houston trailing three games to two and become only the second team in the last 40 years to win games six and seven on the road. The accolades for this team are many.

The resilient Washington Nationals are the 2019 World Champions. Congratulations to all involved in the Nationals organization.