HOUSTON — The Washington Nationals captured their first World Series title in franchise history Wednesday night with a 6-2 Game 7 victory over the Houston Astros.
The Nationals used two home runs in the seventh inning — a solo shot from Anthony Rendon and two-run blast off the bat of Howie Kendrick — to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead. Houston starter Zack Greinke was replaced by reliever Will Harris after the right-hander walked Juan Soto, following Rendon’s long ball. Kendrick then stepped up to the plate and hit Harris’ second pitch off the foul pole in right field.
Washington added an insurance run in the eighth and two more in the ninth, capping off what’s been late-inning offensive dominance throughout the postseason.
Nationals starter Max Scherzer gave up two runs in his five innings of work. Patrick Corbin, a starter turned reliever for Game 7, earned the win thanks to three scoreless frames. Daniel Hudson pitched a perfect ninth to earn the save.
“It just means that I am part of the greatest team in 2019,” Scherzer told FOX when asked about the win. “These guys, they battled. It was stay in the fight, that was our motto. Everybody gave it their all.”
Houston’s Harris took the loss.
While the title is the first for the Nationals’ franchise, it’s the second for the city. In 1924, the Washington Senators, now the Minnesota Twins, defeated the New York Giants four games to three.
Also, this is the first time in World Series history that the road team has won every game.
CNN contributed to this report.
