Nats lose third straight in D.C. as Cole & Co. take Series lead
WASHINGTON — They absorbed a heavyweight blow that should have leveled them and escorted them into the winter wondering where it came from.
Lose the first two World Series games at home to a team that got into the postseason as the wild card and immediately the odds are long against coming back.
Yet after the Astros put a 7-1 whipping on the sinking Nationals in Game 5 on Sunday night in front of a sold-out Nationals Park crowd that included President Trump, the Astros are nine innings away from their second World Series title in three years — with two chances to grab it.
“Down 2-0 we got punched in the mouth,’’ said George Springer, who contributed a two-run homer in the ninth. “The off day helped.’’
There is no arguing taking a break last Thursday to flush the two home losses was a plus, but there is more to the Astros coming off the canvas with three wins on the road and going home to Houston needing one win in two games to hoist the World Series trophy.
Start with the Nationals scratching Max Scherzer from Game 5 due to a nerve problem in the right side of his neck that was so painful he couldn’t lift his right arm and required a cortisone shot. Emergency starter Joe Ross pitched OK but nowhere near good enough to match Gerrit Cole, who gave up one run, three hits and struck out nine in seven innings.
Then there’s the fact the Nationals suddenly stopped hitting after Game 2. In Games 3, 4 and 5, the NL champions went 17-for-97 (.175), including 1-for-21 (.048) with runners in scoring position.
“We actually hit some balls hard, we really did. We just can’t get nothing going these last three days,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “You’re facing some pretty good pitching right now. We’ve just got to keep battling. These guys, they’re not going to quit, I can tell you that right now. We got a day off [Monday], come back Tuesday. And I truly believe these guys will get after it again Tuesday. I told them, I said, I know we’re going to go 1-0, but we’re going to play Game 7, I believe that. So keep pushing.’’ Cole pushed from the first pitch to the last, though the final pitch was a questionable called Strike 3 on Victor Robles to strand a runner with the Nationals trailing, 4-1.
“I just wasn’t going to give in in that situation. We had gotten deep enough into the game that we had our guys up in the bullpen. In that situation after one run in, you have a three-run lead; you’re trying to stay away from the rallies. So you’re just going to make your pitches,’’ Cole said. “I felt that I did get fortunate on that call, but I thought that I was unfortunate on the 3-2 count previously.’’
Nationals hitting coach Kevin Long and Martinez gave plate umpire Lance Barksdale an earful after the Nationals’ last chance evaporated into the comfortable October evening.
Yordan Alvarez and Carlos Correa hit two-run homers off Ross in the second and fourth innings, respectively. Yuli Gurriel added an RBI single in the eighth off Daniel Hudson, who gave up Springer’s two-run homer in the ninth.
Understanding the Astros didn’t loiter on the canvas waiting to be counted out, Springer doesn’t expect the Nationals to roll over in Game 6, which will feature Stephen Strasburg for the Nationals and Justin Verlander for the Astros.
“That is a great team and they will be ready to play,’’ Springer said. “We will play our game and see what happens.’’
In a series in which the visiting team has won all five games, the Nationals can hold onto that. However, losing three at home after holding a 2-0 advantage has a way of biting a struggling club at this time of the year.