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
How unfair of me to post this now…
Nationals 3-2 Astros, bottom 7th
A little bouncer to the left side of the infield. Corbin leaps off the mound and has the ball – he’ll have to hurry to get Alvarez. He throws, in time!
That’s the third out. Two scoreless innings for Corbin in relief!
Houston are down to their final six outs!
Nationals 3-2 Astros, bottom 7th
Gurriel loops a pitch from Corbin into center field and Houston have a two-out base runner with the quite capable Alvarez stepping in.
It’s likely Corbin’s last hitter. Daniel Hudson is up and warming in the Nats bullpen.
Nationals 3-2 Astros, bottom 7th
Bregman can only offer a harmless ground ball to second base. It’s easy for Cabrera who fires to first for the out.
Here’s Gurriel with two outs. He was a hero, putting Houston up earlier in this game, a blast that is now gone and forgotten, unless…
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Nationals 3-2 Astros, bottom 7th
The organ appeals to the Houston faithful who try to get behind their men, down a run, late in Game 7.
“Let’s go Astros…”
It’s a voice lacking force however: A hit from Brantley would change all that.
It’s not coming from the Astros outfielder here – he pops out to left, and that’s the first out of the inning.
Now Bregman is up at the plate. He’s playing with a heavy heart as his grandfather passed earlier today.
Seventh inning stretch
Let’s go old school for the last seventh inning stretch of the season. Everybody up!
Nationals 3-2 Astros, top 7th
Houston’s fans try to rally their shocked ballclub. Goes skies a pitch to the right side of the infield. Altuve has it for the second out and now it’s up to Victor Robles, who has just three hits this World Series.
He flies out to right, and this inning is over. And what an inning it was – Nats up!
Nationals 3-2 Astros, top 7th
Osuna comes high and tight to Gomes who leans out of the way just in time. Now Gomes fouls off a ball and it’s 1-2. Big at-bat right here.
Nationals 3-2 Astros, top 7th
So here’s Zimmerman with one on and one out facing Osuna, who was so wrapped in controversy along with Houston’s brass, earlier in the series.
And Osuna promptly walks Zimmerman.
So now this could get extremely ugly with two on and one out, and Houston need a ground ball badly. Gomes is up.
The line on Zack Greinke
Baseball is cruel. Life is not fair. Greinke was absolutely incredible, and now he’s not the pitcher of record.
Just like that.
6.1IP 2H 2R 2ER 2BB 3SO 1HR
And he was better than this…
Nationals 3-2 Astros, top 7th
Cabrera singles to center and AJ Hinch is coming out to get Harris! This is a stunning development!
Osuna enters, and I don’t know if I want my closer in down a run in the seventh, but what choice is there?
HOME RUN! Nationals 3-2 Astros, top 7th
KENDRICK HITS A BALL OFF THE FOUL POLE IN RIGHT FIELD!
NATS LEAD!
That’s unbelievable! After being stymied for seven innings, Washington rally in the seventh and the Astros are how down in a game they totally controlled moments ago!
It’s quiet in Houston!
This is when we talk about all the runners the Astros stranded throughout this game!
Maybe this is why it’s Harris and not Cole?
Sarah Langs
(@SlangsOnSports)Gerrit Cole has made 1 career relief appearance in college OR professional baseball (that’s NCAA, MiLB, MLB).
May 19, 2009 for UCLA against UC Irvine.
Cole pitched the bottom of the 10th in an extra-inning loss, allowing the game-tying and winning run (1 was unearned). https://t.co/Bmpqi5Obqf
Nationals 1-2 Astros, top 7th
Soto should have been punched out on a called third strike low in the zone, but the ump missed it and now it’s a favorable 3-1 count.
He walks, and here comes the Astros manager and he’s carrying a hook.
Harris will come in and Greinke leaves to a raucous ovation in Houston and is greeted warmly in his dugout.
So, no Cole, because he doesn’t want him coming in with a man on?
HOME RUN! Nationals 1-2 Astros, top 7th
Rendon gets one back for Washington! The slugging third baseman destroys a Greinke pitch and sends it to deep left and the NATS HAVE LIFE!
That ball was pummeled as Rendon does it again!
Here comes Soto as the dance party ensues in the DC dugout.
It’s a one-run game 7
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Nationals 0-2 Astros, top 7th
So after pinch-hitting for Reddick, Marisnick stays in to field in a defense first formation – he’ll play center while Springer moves to right field.
Adam Eaton is up, and the count is even at 2-2. The lefty swings and bounces to short – that’s routine for Correa and the outfielder is out by a step. One down, here’s Rendon.
Nationals 0-2 Astros, bottom 6th
Ground ball to second. Cabrera has it, he steps on second for one out and fires to first in time to get Altuve! That’s a huge double play and we head to the seventh.
Time to count Nats outs!
Nationals 0-2 Astros, bottom 6th
Check swing on a ball in the dirt: did he go?
Yes he did!
Now there’s one down for Altuve.
Nationals 0-2 Astros, bottom 6th
The pinch-hitting Jake Marisnick greets Corbin rudely, slapping a base hit to left to start the sixth.
Now here comes the heart of the Houston lineup, which is why that first out was so important.
Springer is up.
The line on Max Scherzer
Well, Dave Martinez went a little too far with Max if you ask me. Two runs in five innings after not being able to feed yourself a few days ago is a great story, but in Game 7, considering how your opponent is dealing, the leash can’t be that long.
5IP 7H 2R 2ER 4BB 3SO 1HR
Yes, he showed guts, but let’s be honest: he danced through the rain drops all night and probably got more than a bit lucky.
Nationals 0-2 Astros, top 6th
There’s someone dressed as an astronaut waving a giant face of Zack Greinke, and he deserves all of that of that pomp. He’s through six after Turner watches strike three go by. Just one hit for Washington and just 67 pitches for Greinke.
He is everything I thought he wouldn’t be. I feel like I need to apologize.
Zack, I am sorry. Please forgive me.
Oh, here comes Patrick Corbin for Washington.
Nationals 0-2 Astros, top 6th
Robles, a check swing bouncer down the first base line. Gurriel is there, has it and steps on the bag.
Too easy.
Top of the lineup now, here’s Turner who is 0-2.
Nationals 0-2 Astros, top 6th
Gomes is first pitch swinging and he pops to center. The Brazilian flips his bat disgusted as Springer makes the catch for the first out.
Gotta at least make Greinke work a little bit.
Robles is next.
Nationals 0-2 Astros, bottom 5th
Chirinos strikes out! Washington survive further damage.
But a valuable run comes in, and with Greinke cruising and Cole lurking in the Astros bullpen, that is a valuable run indeed.
Nationals 0-2 Astros, bottom 5th
He looks safe to me but they’re still reviewing the call in New York. The question is, did Alvarez come off the bag during the slide?
The umps say no.
So now it’s first and third and two outs for Robinson Chirinos.
Scherzer is still in there. Man, that is crazy. This is Game 7!
RUN! Nationals 0-2 Astros, bottom 5th
Correa rips a ball down the right field line, that’s a fair ball – it just bounced off of Rendon’s glove and went into foul territory! Gurriel comes around to score – Alvarez slides into third – SAFE!
They’re going to review that, but did Martinez tempt fate once to often?
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Nationals 0-1 Astros, bottom 5th
Correa checks and holds on a ball away to make it 1-2. Then Scherzer comes inside and misses which evens the count.
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Nationals 0-1 Astros, bottom 5th
Scherzer is quickly ahead on Correa 0-2…fans are up in Houston!
Nationals 0-1 Astros, bottom 5th
Alvarez, a huge cut on a 3-0 count makes it 3-1 before the Cuban draws a walk.
So another situation with runners in scoring position fro Houston, which they have yet to cash in on.
Where is Corbin? This is bananas.
Nationals 0-1 Astros, bottom 5th
Ground ball to short – Turner runs to his right, slides, has it and throws to second for one – throw on to first, not in time. Two down on the 6-4 force play as Gurriel beats the throw and keeps the inning alive for the slugging Cuban Alvarez.
