That’s all folks
The 2019 Major LeagueBaseballseason comes to a stunning conclusion as Washington win their first title with four victories on the road against a supposedly superior Houston Astros team.
On behalf of fellow live-blogger Hunter Felt, we’d like to thank everyone for joining us for the 115 th World Series: it’s been a pleasure to help you follow along. And so wherever you are, good morning, good afternoon and good night.
MVP
Stephen Strasburg, who was infamously held out of the 2012 playoffs to protect his young arm, comes full circle, celebrating aWorld Seriestitle and an MVP award for his two victories in the Fall Classic.
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We stayed in the fight, we won the fight … the biggest thing for us is never quit. We were down 19 – 31, we didn’t quit then and we weren’t going to quit now!
Dave Martinez, Nationals manager
Trophy time
The Nationals owners, the Lerner family, are talking about how their dream came true during the traditional post-World Series win cringe-worthy interview. NowMLBCommissioner Rob Manfred is doing the same before handing the trophy off to Mike Rizzo and Dave Martinez, kicking off another celebration by the Nats.
Hunter Felt(@ HunterFelt)
Congratulations to every single home team fan who bought an expensive ticket to see them in a World Series game and ended up heading home depressed.@ LengelDavid
) That’s no way to end it?
What is it about this team FOX TV’s Ken Rosenthal asks Max Scherzer.
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One through 25, everybody, the energy, the camaraderie … everybody believed in each other.
Now, who will be MVP? Soto? Rendon? Strasburg?
In front of a stunned crowd in Houston, the traveling Nats brass, including GM Mike Rizzo, celebrate all around.
It’s the first title in DC since the American League Senators in 1924 and the first for the team that began life in Montreal in 1969.
This is a team that were expected to be trounced by a team deemed superior, one seeking to put their stamp on baseball history with a second title in three seasons.
But the Nats beat Cole, Greinke and Verlander, not to mention Kershaw. They won all fourWorld Seriesgames on the road after starting a season without their departed franchise player and opening with a 19 – 31 record .
It is certainly one of the most improbable titles in some time.
Updated (at) . 57 PM EDT
Nationals 6-2 Astros, Final
Michael Brantley strikes out swinging!
THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS HAVE UPSET THE HOUSTON ASTROS IN A SEVEN-GAME WORLD SERIES WIN FOR THE AGES!
Nationals 6-2 Astros, bottom 9th
Well, here goes nothing for Houston as they face Daniel Hudson, who comes on in relief for Corbin.
And Springer promptly pops out to Cabrera!
Washington are two outs away!
Nationals 6-2 Astros, top 9th
Soto flies out to center and here come the Astros needing a rally for the ages to get back into this game. The heart of their order is due up.
Updated (at) . 44 PM EDT
Nationals 6-2 Astros, top 9th
Rendon pops it up and Correa makes the catch on the infield. Two down for Soto.
From the House of Hunter
Hunter Felt(@ HunterFelt)
And the Nationals have decided that they don ‘ t want any more drama tonight.@ LengelDavid
(October) , 2019
Nationals 6-2 Astros, top 9th
Turner is at third base after a Marisnick throwing error. So it’s first and third and here comes Rendon with just one out!
RUNS! Nationals 6-2 Astros, top 9th
Eaton hammers a base hit right up the middle! Two more are coming in for DC and the Nats are up four and on the precipice of a firstWorld Seriestitle!
Nationals 4-2 Astros, top 9th
All that pitching, all that firepower, all those wins, have landed Houston on the cliffs edge.
Hinch comes out top get Smith, and it’s Urquidy, the hero of Game 4 (where has he been?), Coming out now to face Eaton.
Nationals 4-2 Astros, top 9th
Smith walked him.
And so the reckoning has arrived for Houston.
Bases loaded and one out for Adam Eaton and Rendon on deck.
Nationals 4-2 Astros, top 9th
The count is full – we’re eight pitches in!
Nationals 4-2 Astros, top 9th
Turner, who has done very little offensively thisWorld Series, hitting. 161 while playing well at shortstop, is up.
He’s in the hole 1-2.
Nationals 4-2 Astros, top 9th
Gomes bounces in front of the pitcher – Smith has it and fires to first for one, the throw to first is not in time. So Gomes reaches on a fielders choice, and it’s one out and one on for Robles, who singles to center!
Gomes moves up to center, and it’s two on and one one now for Turner. Dangerous is this.
Nationals 4-2 Astros, top 9th
Sidearm pitcher Joe Smith is in and greeted with a base hit by Ryan Zimmerman. Naturally they cannot allow any more runs to score or that dome is gonna empty out lightning fast.
Gomes is next.
Nationals 4-2 Astros, bottom 8th
It’s 2-2 on the Astros center fielder and Corbin strikes him out swinging!
Three scoreless innings out of the pen for Patrick Corbin, and the Astros have three outs left with the top of their lineup due up in the bottom of the ninth inning!
Nationals 4-2 Astros, bottom 8th
Chirinos, a ground ball deep into the hole, but the catcher is a tortoise, and Turner has plenty of time to get him. Two down and here comes Marisnick, inserted for defense earlier, to try and get something going.
Nationals 4-2 Astros, bottom 8th
Correa watches strike three pass on the inside corner. He has a word with home plate umpire Jim Wolf as he heads back to the dugout as frustration in Houston mounts.
Robinson Chirinos is next.
Nationals 4-2 Astros, bottom 8th
The good news: Houston, who have left 10 runners on base tonight, are a bloop and a blast away from tying this up.
But they’re running out of outs as Correa steps in to face Corbin, who is still in there!
The count is 2-2 …
Nationals 4-2 Astros, top 8th
Cabrera lines out to retire the side.
It could have been worse, but an important run is in for DC as Hinch insisted on pitching to Soto in a huge spot with first base open.
Makes a ton of sense!
Nationals 4-2 Astros, top 8th
Kendrick lines a shot off the glove of Gurriel and into right field! It moves Soto to third and here comers Hinch to get Osuna!
It’s unraveling in a quiet Houston dome, as watchers party inside Nationals Park in DC.
Ryan Pressly in in to face Cabrera.
RUN! Nationals 4-2 Astros, top 8th
They pitched to him and Soto made them pay – a base hit to right field scores Eaton and the Nats have that insurance run they wanted.
Why on earth would you let him beat you? Because Kendrick hit a home run off the foul pole? No. That is bad managing. Sorry.
Hinch is not having a good game.
Nationals 3-2 Astros, top 8th
Rendon hits it high but shallow – Marisnick is under the ball in center field and has it for the second out.
Two down, and Soto is up now.
I would not touch him here with a base open.
Chrinios comes out to chat with Osuna before this key at-bat begins.
Nationals 3-2 Astros, top 8th
Eaton is running, and sliding into second. The throw is high and that’s a stolen base! And Eaton is no sprinter – he stole that off Osuna for sure.
So that’s a key maneuver because now there is a runner in scoring position as DC seek that insurance run.
Nationals 3-2 Astros, top 8th
The count is full to Eaton and it’s inside for ball four.
It’s a big walk because Rendon, who started the Nats resurgence with a solo shot off Greinke in the seventh, is at the plate looking for more.
Nationals 3-2 Astros, top 8th
Turner bounces to short, easy for Correa and that’s the first out. Eaton is next.
Nationals 3-2 Astros, top 8th
Winter is coming … but not yet.
Osuna is still on, he’s facing Turner while Gerrit Cole warms up in the Houston bullpen.
The count is full to Turner.
From the House of Hunter
Hunter Felt(@ HunterFelt)
And now the Astros tie it up in the bottom of the 7th and this ends up going 14 innings.@ LengelDavid
(October) , 2019
) How unfair of me to post this now …
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