USA TODAY International Edition
World Series heading to Houston Tuesday
Astros erase 0- 2 deficit against Nationals with two dominant wins in DC
WASHINGTON – The Astros looked down and out when they arrived in the nation’s capital, but by the time they leave Sunday evening they might be asking Donald Trump what’s a good time to pop back into town for their celebratory White House visit.
After losing the first two games of the World Series in Houston with talk they might be swept, the Astros evened the series with an 8- 1 rout Saturday night of the Nationals, ensuring the Series is returning to Minute Park in Houston.
This wacky Series, in which the visiting team has won all four games for the first time since 1996, is now a best- ofthree with four of the finest pitchers in the game going mano a mano and all of the mojo on the Astros’ side.
“We’re pretty damn good,” Astros veteran reliever Joe Smith said. “We knew we were going to win some games here. We like where we’re at.”
Hey, can you blame them? They have Gerrit Cole, who is 19- 1 since May 22, in Game 5. They have AL Cy Young favorite Justin Verlander in Game 6.
Why wouldn’t you feel good? Before the Astros start ordering the champagne, though, they might want to remember what happened in Houston.
The Nationals will be pitching Max Scherzer in Game 5 and Stephen Strasburg in Game 6 – the two who were dominant in the first two games and had folks believing this Series could be over in a hurry.
“I didn’t think we’d sweep,” Smith said. “We didn’t think they’d sweep. ... These are the two best teams playing against each other. Now, things will start to get a little interesting.”
How can a team beat Verlander and Cole, scoring 19 runs, yet manage two measly hits in five innings against 24year- old Jose Urquidy, joining Fernando Valenzuela as only the second Mexican rookie to start a World Series game?
The Nats even got a huge break when manager A. J. Hinch pulled Urquidy after only 67 pitches and nearly paid the price when the bullpen faltered, as Washington made it 4- 1 and had the tying run at the plate in the sixth inning.
Yet Alex Bregman put away any thoughts of a comeback dancing in the Nats’ heads to sleep. Bregman, the MVP candidate who was hitting .129 ( 4for- 31) since the AL Division Series, swatted a four- seam fastball off Fernando Rodney 392 feet into the left- field seats for a grand slam.
Just like that, this Series has turned upside down.
If there’s any pressure, considering the Astros didn’t feel any being down 0- 2, they don’t feel a darn thing now.
“Putting pressure on yourself, where does that get you at the end of the day?” asked Smith. “We play loose. We have a ton of fun over here. Us getting nervous and stuff, that doesn’t help nobody. We’re going to stay where we’re at.”
Let the Nats do the sweating. This is a team that was rolling, winning eight consecutive postseason games and trailing a total of 12 innings. It has now trailed 17 consecutive innings and has lost back- to- back games for the first time since Sept. 13- 14.
“They threw a big punch at the beginning of this Series,” Hinch said. “Now, we get a little mojo back on our side, get a little bit of momentum.”
The Nationals have to find their offense in a hurry after scoring two runs in the first two games in D. C. They were hitting .355 with runners in scoring position during the streak but were 1- for- 19 in the last two games.
“Nobody,” said Ryan Zimmerman, the Nationals’ longest- tenured player, “thought this was going to be easy.”
❚ At usatoday. com: Game 5 report