Finish the Fight.
The motto that provided the Washington Nationals hope throughout the 2019 season and especially in the playoffs, played out, as the team won their first ever World Series Title in franchise history on Wednesday night in Houston.
In a thrilling, exhilarating, seven game World Series, the Nationals went toe to toe with the 2017 World Series champs, the Houston Astros. Despite the fact that many experts predicted Houston to claim their second world championship in three seasons, the Nats took the first two games of the series on the road before heading back to D.C for the next three games. With obvious momentum on their side, they headed back home, hoping to possibly sweep the series. But the Astros settled in behind the pitching of Gerrit Cole and the hitting of George Springer and Alex Bregman, and rattled off three straight wins. They finally seemed to be hitting their stride, and returned back to Houston, needing only one win to take home another championship. But that was a task that couldn’t be accomplished, as the Astros looked at times like deer in the headlights, and lost the final two games of the series. Amazingly, neither team won a single home game, the first time it has ever happened in north american sports!
“Today they were down, but they never thought they were out,” Nationals skipper Dave Martinez said of his team. “But we stayed in the fight and we won the fight!”
One of the biggest storylines heading into this seventh, and final, game of the series was the pitching matchup between two of the MLB’s best. Max Scherzer taking the hill for Washington and Zack Greinke on the mound for Houston. It proved to be one of, if not the best, pitching performances of this postseason. Both starters went 5+ innings, combined for six strikeouts, allowed just six walks and a 3.02 ERA. While both pitched effectively and allowed two runs each, it was Greinke who left the mound with his team in the lead and momentum on their side. However, the Astros’ bullpen didn’t perform to their highest level, allowing a one run lead to evaporate while four different pitchers took the hill for Houston. It opened the door for the Nationals to score six runs unanswered and win by a score of 6-2.
One of the most debated topics throughout the final innings regarding Houston’s pitching was whether or not Hinch should’ve brought ace Gerrit Cole into the game as relief. Cole was warming up and ready to go after the Nats took a 3-2 lead, but ended up being sent back to the bench. The game had already begun to unravel for Houston, but as Hinch brought in reliever after reliever, the game got out of reach. Astros fans young and old were stunned at why Cole, who is now a free agent (his contract expired at the end of the year), didn’t come into the game. After all, he had pitched well in the World Series up to this point. It didn’t make sense and could’ve cost the Astros the ballgame. But then again, the offense of the Nationals had a big part to play in the win too, despite the Astros crossing the plate first.
It didn’t take long for the Astros’ bats to come alive, with Yuli Gurriel connecting with a low pitch and knocking it over the left field wall to give Houston an early 1-0 lead. That homer actually made history as the Astros became the first home team since the 2001 D-Backs to score first in a Game 7. All seemed to be going well for the ‘Stros when Gurriel again crossed the plate, this time on a Carlos Correa RBI single to put them up 2-0 in the fifth. However, just as the Nationals have done all postseason, they weren’t going down without a fight. In the seventh, slugger Anthony Rendon smashed a solo home run to cut into the lead and start a rally. Leftifelder Juan Soto followed with a walk, ending Greinke’s day on the mound. Manager A.J Hinch brought in reliever Will Smith, who added to the trouble. He gave up a two run homer to the first batter he faced, Howie Kendrick, which put the Nationals in front for the first time on the night. Thankfully, despite being able to put runners on first and second, Washington couldn’t get them across, thanks to Roberto Osuna, who was brought in to relieve Harris. It was enough though, to give the Nats the lead, heading into the final inning of a crucial game 7. Their bats only got stronger, with Soto adding an RBI single to right and scoring Adam Eaton to take a 4-2 lead. To follow that up, in the top of the ninth, Eaton again came up clutch, knocking a single into center to score Yan Gomes and Victor Robles, bringing the score to 6-2. It was the final, as the Astros desperately tried to save the sinking ship in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn’t get the job done.
While the offense was phenomenal in this 2019 World Series, it was the pitching that proved to be the difference. That’s exactly why Nats star righty Stephen Strasburg was awarded the MVP, for his 2-0 World Series record on the mound and his 14:3 strikeout to walk ratio.
As the Nationals sprinted onto the field to celebrate such a milestone accomplishment for both their individual careers and the franchise’s history, it was the end of a crazy journey for a team that began the postseason as a wild card. After having to battle through five elimination games during the wild card, ALDS, ALCS and World Series, it was a fitting end of a remarkable season for the team from D.C, who kept a “Finish the Fight” mentality until the end. There were times when they were down, but they were never out.
Former Atlanta Braves pitcher and Fox’s color commentator John Smoltz, “There have been bigger underdogs to win a World Series, but I can’t imagine a better journey.”
A journey it was all right. A journey that ended with the World Series Title.
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